Matthew 15

NSB^{(i) 1} Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to Jesus. ² They questioned him: »Why do your disciples go against the teaching of the fathers? They eat food with unwashed hands.« ³ His answer to them was in the form of a question: »Why do you go against the word of God in favor of your tradition? ⁴ »God said, ‘Honor your father and mother.’ ‘He who says evil of father or mother will be put to death.’ ⁵ »You teach that a man should tell his father or mother that what he has that could help them, is given to God. ⁶ »You say there is no need for him to give honor to his father. You have invalidated the word of God because of your tradition! ⁷ »You hypocrites (liars)! Isaiah’s prophecy was right about you. ⁸ »‘These people honor me with their lips, but their heart (innermost thoughts) is far from me. ⁹ »‘But their worship is to no purpose, while they give as their teaching the rules (commands) of men.’« ¹⁰ He got the people together and said to them: »Listen, and let my words be clear to you. ¹¹ »That which comes out of the mouth makes a man unclean, not that which goes into the mouth.« ¹² The disciples told him the Pharisees were upset by what he said. ¹³ In answer he replied: »Every plant my Father in heaven has not planted in the earth will be pulled out by the roots. ¹⁴ »Let them be. They are blind guides. If a blind man guides another blind man, they will fall in a hole together.« ¹⁵ Then Peter said to him: »Make the story clear to us.« ¹⁶ He replied: »Are you, like them, without wisdom? ¹⁷ »Do you not see, that which goes into the mouth, goes into the stomach and is sent out as waste? ¹⁸ »That which comes out of the mouth, comes from the heart and makes a man unclean. ¹⁹ »Evil thoughts come from the heart! Thoughts about murder, adultery, fornication, theft, lying, and slander come from the heart! ²⁰ »These things make a man unclean. Eating food with unwashed hands does not make a man unclean.« ²¹ Jesus went away from there into the country of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A woman of Canaan came crying and saying: »Have pity on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is greatly troubled with an unclean spirit.« ²³ He did not answer her. His disciples said to him: »Send her away; she keeps shouting at us.« ²⁴ He answered: »I was sent only to the wandering sheep of the house of Israel.« ²⁵ She bowed down before him and asked for help. ²⁶ He said: »It is not right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs.« ²⁷ She said: »Yes, Lord; but even the dogs take the scraps from under their masters’ table.« ²⁸ »O woman,« Jesus replied, »your faith is great! Let your desire be done.« And her daughter was made well from that hour. ²⁹ Jesus went from there to the Sea of Galilee. He went up into the mountain and sat down. ³⁰ Many people came to him. They brought those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many other people. They laid them down at his feet and he healed them. ³¹ The people marveled as they saw the mute speak, the crippled and lame walk, and the blind see. They glorified the God of Israel. ³² Jesus called his disciples and said: »I feel compassion for the people, because they have remained with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.« ³³ The disciples replied: »Where would we get so many loaves in this desolate place to satisfy such a large crowd?« ³⁴ Jesus asked: »How many loaves do you have?« They said: »Seven, and a few small fish.« ³⁵ He told the people to sit down on the ground. ³⁶ He took the seven loaves and the fish and offered a prayer of thanksgiving. Then he broke them and gave them to the disciples. The disciples gave them to the people. ³⁷ They all ate and were satisfied. When they picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, there were seven large baskets full. ³⁸ Four thousand men, besides women and children were fed. ³⁹ After dismissing the crowds, Jesus took a boat to the region of Magadan.