Twenty - Matthew - 15

15:1  Then some Pharisees and Teachers of the Law came to Jesus, and said.

15:2  "How is it that your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? For they do not wash their hands when they eat food."

15:3  His reply was. "How is it that you on your side break God's commandments out of respect for your own traditions?

15:4  For God said--'Honor thy father and mother,' and 'Let him who reviles his father or mother suffer death,'

15:5  But you say 'Whenever any one says to his father or mother "Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is 'Given to God,'"

15:6  He is in no way bound to honor his father.' In this way you have nullified the words of God on account of your traditions.

15:7  Hypocrites! It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you--

15:8  'This is a people that honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me;

15:9  But vainly do they worship me, For they teach but the precepts of men.'"

15:10  Then Jesus called the people to him, and said. "Listen, and mark my words.

15:11  It is not what enters a man's mouth that 'defiles' him, but what comes out from his mouth--that does defile him!"

15:12  On this his disciples came up to him, and said. "Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked on hearing what you said?"

15:13  "Every plant," Jesus replied, "that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.

15:14  Let them be; they are but blind guides; and, if one blind man guides another, both of them will fall into a ditch."

15:15  Upon this, Peter said to Jesus. "Explain this saying to us."

15:16  "What, do even you understand nothing yet? Jesus exclaimed.

15:17  "Do not you see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is afterwards expelled?

15:18  But the things that come out from the mouth proceed from the heart, and it is these that defile a man;

15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts--murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, perjury, slander.

15:20  These are the things that defile a man; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

15:21  On going away from that place, Jesus retired to the country round Tyre and Sidon.

15:22  There, a Canaanite woman of that district came out and began calling to Jesus. "Take pity on me, Master, Son of David; my daughter is grievously possessed by a demon."

15:23  But Jesus did not answer her a word; and his disciples came up and begged him to send her away. "She keeps calling out after us," they said.

15:24  "I was not sent," replied Jesus, "to any one except the lost sheep of Israel."

15:25  But the woman came, and, bowing to the ground before him, said. "Master, help me."

15:26  "It is not fair," replied Jesus, "to take the children's food and throw it to dogs."

15:27  "Yes, Master," she said, "for even dogs do feed on the scraps that fall from their owners' table."

15:28  "Your faith is great," was his reply to the woman; "it shall be as you wish!" And her daughter was cured that very hour.

15:29  On leaving that place, Jesus went to the shore of the Sea of Galilee; and then went up the hill, and sat down., you will do what not only what has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!' it would be done.