The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 15 -

(Mark 7:1–13)

Then came to Iesus the Scribes and Pharises, which were of Hierusalem, saying,

Why do thy disciples transgresse the tradition of the Elders? for they wash not their hands when they eate bread.

But he answered and said vnto them, Why doe yee also transgresse the commandement of God by your tradition?

For God hath commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

But ye say, Whosoeuer shall say to father or mother, By the gift that is offered by me, thou maiest haue profite,

Though hee honour not his father, or his mother, shalbe free: thus haue ye made the commandement of God of no aucthoritie by your tradition.

O hypocrites, Esaias prophecied well of you, saying,

This people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with the lips, but their heart is farre off from me.

But in vaine they worship me, teaching for doctrines, mens precepts.

What Defiles a Man

(Mark 7:14–23)

Then hee called the multitude vnto him, and said to them, Heare and vnderstand.

That which goeth into the mouth, defileth not the man, but that which commeth out of the mouth, that defileth the man.

Then came his disciples, and saide vnto him, Perceiuest thou not, that the Pharises are offended in hearing this saying?

But hee answered and saide, Euery plant which mine heauenly Father hath not planted, shalbe rooted vp.

Let them alone, they be the blinde leaders of the blinde: and if the blinde leade ye blinde, both shall fall into the ditche.

Then answered Peter, and said to him, Declare vnto vs this parable.

Then said Iesus, Are ye yet without vnderstanding?

Perceiue ye not yet, that whatsoeuer entreth into the mouth, goeth into the bellie, and is cast out into the draught?

But those thinges which proceede out of the mouth, come from the heart, and they defile the man.

For out of the heart come euil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, slaunders.

These are the things, which defile the man: but to eat with vnwashen hands, defileth not ye man.

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

(Mark 7:24–30)

And Iesus went thence, and departed into the coastes of Tyrus and Sidon.

And beholde, a woman a Cananite came out of the same coasts, and cried, saying vnto him, Haue mercie on me, O Lord, the sonne of Dauid: my daughter is miserably vexed with a deuil.

But hee answered her not a worde. Then came to him his disciples, and besought him, saying, Sende her away, for she crieth after vs.

But he answered, and said, I am not sent, but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel.

Yet she came, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, helpe me.

And he answered, and said, It is not good to take the childrens bread, and to cast it to whelps.

But she said, Trueth, Lord: yet in deede the whelpes eate of the crommes, which fall from their masters table.

Then Iesus answered, and saide vnto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it to thee, as thou desirest. And her daughter was made whole at that houre.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Mark 8:1–10)

So Iesus went away from thence, and came neere vnto the sea of Galile, and went vp into a mountaine and sate downe there.

And great multitudes came vnto him, hauing with them, halt, blinde, dumme, maymed, and many other, and cast them downe at Iesus feete, and he healed them.

In so much that the multitude wondered, to see the dumme speake, the maimed whole, the halt to goe, and the blinde to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

Then Iesus called his disciples vnto him, and said, I haue compassion on this multitude, because they haue continued with mee already three dayes, and haue nothing to eate: and I wil not let them depart fasting, least they faint in the way.

And his disciples saide vnto him, Whence should we get so much bread in the wildernes, as should suffice so great a multitude!

And Iesus said vnto them, How many loaues haue ye? And they said, Seuen, and a few litle fishes.

Then he commanded the multitude to sit downe on the ground,

And tooke the seuen loaues, and the fishes, and gaue thankes, and brake them, and gaue to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

And they did all eate, and were sufficed: and they tooke vp of the fragments that remained, seuen baskets full.

And they that had eaten, were foure thousand men, beside women, and litle children.

Then Iesus sent away the multitude, and tooke ship, and came into the partes of Magdala.

(Mark 7:1–13)

Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,

“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”

He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?

For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ (a) and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ (b)

But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,”

he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’” (c)

What Defiles a Man

(Mark 7:14–23)

He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand.

That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.

Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.”

So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand?

Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly and then out of the body?

But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.

These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

(Mark 7:24–30)

Jesus went out from there and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!”

But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”

But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Mark 8:1–10)

Jesus departed from there and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up on the mountain and sat there.

Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down at his feet. He healed them,

so that the multitude wondered when they saw the mute speaking, the injured healed, the lame walking, and the blind seeing—and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have continued with me now three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away fasting, or they might faint on the way.”

The disciples said to him, “Where could we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?”

Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;

and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

They all ate and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.

Those who ate were four thousand men, in addition to women and children.

Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.

Footnotes

(a)15:4 ℘ Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16

(b)15:4 ℘ Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9