--- title: "Matthew 15 — World English Bible | Favorite Scriptures" description: "Read Matthew 15 in the World English Bible. Free Bible reading, no account needed. Browse books and chapters, then save favorite passages in your personal library." last_updated: "2026-10-08" doc_version: "1" language: "en" canonical: "https://favoritescriptures.com/bible/matthew/15" --- [Home](/)/[Bible](/bible)/[Matthew](/bible/matthew)/15 World English Bible # Matthew 15 [1](#verse-1) Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, [2](#verse-2) “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.” [3](#verse-3) He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? [4](#verse-4) For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ [5](#verse-5) 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,” [6](#verse-6) he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition. [7](#verse-7) You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, [8](#verse-8) ‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. [9](#verse-9) And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’” [10](#verse-10) He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand. [11](#verse-11) That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.” [12](#verse-12) Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” [13](#verse-13) But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted. [14](#verse-14) Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.” [15](#verse-15) Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.” [16](#verse-16) So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand? [17](#verse-17) Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly and then out of the body? [18](#verse-18) But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. [19](#verse-19) For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. [20](#verse-20) These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.” [21](#verse-21) Jesus went out from there and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. [22](#verse-22) 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!” [23](#verse-23) But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.” [24](#verse-24) But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” [25](#verse-25) But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.” [26](#verse-26) But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” [27](#verse-27) But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” [28](#verse-28) 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. [29](#verse-29) Jesus departed from there and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up on the mountain and sat there. [30](#verse-30) 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, [31](#verse-31) 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. [32](#verse-32) 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.” [33](#verse-33) The disciples said to him, “Where could we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?” [34](#verse-34) Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” [35](#verse-35) He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground; [36](#verse-36) 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. [37](#verse-37) They all ate and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over. [38](#verse-38) Those who ate were four thousand men, in addition to women and children. [39](#verse-39) Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala. [← Matthew 14](/bible/matthew/14)[Matthew 16 →](/bible/matthew/16) World English Bible · Public domain ## Keep what speaks to you. 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