Matthew - Chapter 15

1 Then the Pharisees and Scribes that were from Yerushalayim came to Yeshua, and said: 2 "Why do your talmidim transgress against the traditions of the elders, and not wash their hands when they eat bread?"

3 Yeshua answered saying to them: "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your traditions? 4 For God has said: 'Honour your father, and your mother; and he that reviles his father and his mother, let him be put to death.' 5 But you say: 'anyone who says to a father or to a mother: 'korban is what you should receive from us;' then he must not honour his father or his mother.' 6 You nullify the Word of God because of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, saying:

8 'This people honour me with the lips, but their heart is very far from me. 9 And in vain they revere me, while they teach the doctrines of the commandments of the sons of men.'"

10 And he cried out to the crowds, and said to them: "Listen and understand! 11 It is not what enters the mouth that defiles a man, but that which proceeds out from the mouth that defiles a man."

12 Then his talmidim approached and said to him: "Do you know that the Pharisees who heard these words were offended?" 13 He then answered them saying: "Every plant that my Father who is in heaven did not plant, will be uprooted. 14 Let them be; they are blind leaders of the blind. And if a blind man leads one blind, they will both fall into a pit.

15 And Shimon Keipha answered him saying: "Mari, explain this parable to us." 16 And he said to them: "And now, you do not understand? 17 Do you not know that whatever enters the mouth, goes into the stomach, and from there is cast out by excrement? 18 But that which proceeds from the mouth, comes from the heart, and it becomes defilement to a man. 19 For what comes from the heart are evil thoughts, adultery, murder, fornication, theft, false testimony, and blasphemy. 20 These are what defile a man. But if a man eats while his hands are not washed, he is not defiled.

21 And Yeshua departed from there, and went to the border of Tyre and Tsidon.

22 Behold, a Canaanite woman came forth from those borders crying out saying: "Have mercy on me, Mari, Son of David: my daughter is critically distressed by a devil." 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his talmidim drew near and begged him saying: "Send her away, because she cries after us." 24 But he answered and said to them: "I have not been sent, except to the sheep that have strayed from the House of Yisrael." 25 And she came, and worshipped him, and said: "Help me, Mari." 26 And he said to her: "It is not good to take the bread of the children and cast it to the dogs." 27 And she said: "Yes, but Mari, even the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the tables of their masters and live." 28 Then Yeshua said to her: "O woman, great is your faith; let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that moment.

29 Now Yeshua departed from there, and came to the seashore of Galil. He then went up to a mountain, and sat there. 30 And large crowds drew near to him that had with them those who were lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them at the feet of Yeshua, and he healed them. 31 So amazed were the crowds, when they saw the mute speaking, and the maimed made whole, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing, that they praised the God of Yisrael.

32 Then Yeshua called his talmidim, and said to them: "I have mercy for this crowd; look, these three days they have remained with me and they do not have anything in which they might eat, and I do not desire to send them away fasting, in case they faint by the way." 33 His talmidim said to him: "Where is bread for us in the desert that we may satisfy all this crowd?" 34 Yeshua said to them: "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They said to him: "Seven, and a few small fish." 35 And he commanded the crowds to sit on the ground. 36 And he took those seven loaves of bread and the fish, and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave them to his talmidim; and the talmidim gave them to the crowds. 37 And all of them ate and were satisfied. And they took up the remains of fragments, seven full baskets. 38 And those who had eaten numbered four thousand men, besides the women and children. 39 And when he had instructed the crowds to leave, he got into a ship, and came to the border of Magdo*.