Matthew

Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

1Then some teachers of the law and some Pharisees came from Jerusalem to Jesus. They asked him a question.

2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

2They said, "Why do your followers break the rules handed down by our elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat."

NoteThe "tradition of the elders" was a set of extra rules passed down by teachers, not part of the written law of Moses. The hand washing here was a religious custom, not about germs.

3But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

3Jesus answered them, "And why do you break God's command so you can keep your own rules?

4For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

4God said, 'Honor your father and your mother.' God also said, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'

5But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

5But you teach something else. You say a person may tell his father or mother, 'What I could have given to help you is now a gift promised to God.'

NoteIn the KJV, saying something "is a gift" means the money or help was promised to the temple instead. Once a person said that, some teachers said he no longer had to use it to care for his parents.

6And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

6Then he does not have to help his parents at all. So your rules cancel out what God commanded.

7Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

7You are pretenders. Isaiah was right when he spoke about you long ago. He said,

8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

8'These people come close to me with their words. They honor me when they speak. But their hearts are far away from me.

9But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

9Their worship of me is worth nothing. They teach rules made up by people as if those rules came from God.'"

10And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

10Then Jesus called the crowd over to him. He said, "Listen to me, and understand this.

11Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

11What goes into a person's mouth does not make him unclean. What comes out of his mouth is what makes him unclean."

Note"Defile" means to make a person unclean, so he is not fit to come near God in worship. It is not about dirt.

12Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

12Later his followers came to him and said, "Do you know the Pharisees were upset when they heard what you said?"

13But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

13Jesus answered, "Every plant that my Father in heaven did not plant will be pulled up by the roots.

14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

14Leave them alone. They are blind guides leading blind people. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

15Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

15Then Peter said to him, "Explain this word picture to us."

16And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

16Jesus said, "Do you still not understand it either?

17Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

17Don't you see? Whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and then leaves the body.

18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

18But the things that come out of the mouth start in the heart. Those are the things that make a person unclean.

19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

19Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, cheating on a husband or wife, other sexual sin, stealing, lying about others, and insulting speech.

20These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

20These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating with unwashed hands does not make anyone unclean."

21Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

21Then Jesus left that place and went away to the area around the cities of Tyre and Sidon.

22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

22A woman from Canaan who lived in that area came to him. She cried out, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! An evil spirit is hurting my daughter badly."

23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

23But Jesus did not say a word to her. His followers came and begged him, "Send her away. She keeps shouting after us."

24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

24Jesus answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the people of Israel."

25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

25Then the woman came and knelt down in front of him. She said, "Lord, help me!"

26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

26Jesus answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

27"That is true, Lord," she said. "But even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."

28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

28Then Jesus said to her, "Woman, your faith is great. Let it happen for you just as you want." Her daughter was healed at that very moment.

29And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

29Jesus left there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountain and sat down.

30And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:

30Huge crowds came to him. They brought people who could not walk, could not see, could not speak, and whose bodies were damaged, and many others. They laid them at Jesus' feet, and he healed them.

31Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

31The crowd was amazed. They saw people who could not speak now speaking, damaged bodies made well, people who could not walk now walking, and blind people seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

32Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

32Then Jesus called his followers to him. He said, "I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me three days now and have nothing to eat. I will not send them away hungry. They might faint on the way home."

33And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

33His followers said to him, "Where in this empty country could we get enough bread to feed such a big crowd?"

34And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

34Jesus asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."

35And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

35So he told the crowd to sit down on the ground.

36And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

36He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks to God. Then he broke them and gave them to his followers, who passed them to the people.

37And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

37Everyone ate until they had enough. Then the followers picked up the leftover pieces. They filled seven baskets.

38And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

38There were four thousand men who ate, and also women and children.

39And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

39Then Jesus sent the crowd home, got into a boat, and went to the area of Magdala.