Matthew 15:1-20
Tradition and Commandment
1 aThen some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus bfrom Jerusalem and said, 2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they cdo not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves also break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘ dHonor your father and mother,’ and, ‘ eThe one who speaks evil of father or mother is to ▼▼Lit die the death
be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been ▼▼Lit a gift; i.e., an offering
given to God,” 6 he is not to ▼▼I.e., by supporting them with it
honor his father or mother.’ And by this you have invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you, by saying: 8 ‘ iThis people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
9 ‘And in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as jdoctrines the commandments of men.’” 10 After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand! 11 k It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person.” 12 Then the disciples came and *said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were ▼
▼Lit caused to stumble
offended when they heard this statement?” 13But He answered and said, “ mEvery plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone; nthey are blind guides ▼▼Later mss add of blind people
of blind people. And pif a person who is blind guides another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.” The Heart of Man
15 Peter ▼▼Lit answering, said
said to Him, “ rExplain the parable to us.” 16 ▼▼Lit and He
Jesus said, “Are you also still lacking in understanding? 17 Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is ▼▼Lit thrown out into the latrine
eliminated? 18 But uthe things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person. 19 vFor out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and ▼▼Or abusive speech
slanderous statements. 20 These are the things that defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person.”
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