Matthew 15
Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter EditionKJP 
1Then some of the scribes and Pharisees, who were of Jerusalem, came to Jesus asking, 2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.” 3Then Jesus answered them, “Why do you also break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and mother’; and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother is to be put to death.’

5But you say, ‘Whoever says to his parents, “What I might have given to you I have vowed to give to God”’, (a ruse by which some people kept back from their parents what they should have provided for their needs); 6And do not honor his father or his mother, he shall be free (of their obligation). In this way you have used your tradition to circumvent and make the commandment of God of no effect. 7You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you (Is.29:13-14): 8‘These people draw near to Me and honor Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. 9But in vain they do worship Me, for their teaching is merely traditions and doctrines men.’” 10And He called the people to Him, and said, “Hear, and understand: 11It is not that which goes into the mouth that defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, that is what defiles a man.” 12Then His disciples came, and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13He replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted shall be uprooted. 14Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” 15Then Peter replied, “Explain this parable to us”. 16And Jesus said, “Are you still without understanding? 17Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach, and then passes back out of the body? 18But those things that come out of the mouth proceed from the heart; and it is they that defile a man. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts - murder, adultery, lust and fornication, theft, false witness (perjury), and blasphemy; 20These are what defile a man; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

21Then leaving that place, Jesus went to the area of Tyre and Sidon. 22And, a woman of Canaan came to Him from that vicinity, and cried out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, You Son of David; my daughter is possessed and grievously vexed by a demon.” 23But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away; for she keeps crying out after us.” 24But He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25Then she came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, help me”. 26But He replied, “It is not right to take the children's bread, and to throw it to the dogs.” 27And she said, “True, Lord; and yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith; your request is granted: be it unto you even as you will.” And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

29And Jesus left there, and went along to the sea of Galilee; and then went up a mountainside, and sat down. 30And great crowds came to Him, bringing with them the lame, crippled, blind, dumb (unable to speak), maimed, and many others, and laid them at Jesus’s feet; and He healed them; 31So that the people wondered and were amazed, when they saw the dumb speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see; and they glorified the God of Israel.

32Then Jesus called His disciples to Him, and said, “I am moved with compassion for these people, because they have stayed with Me now for three days, and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint (collapse) along the way.” 33And His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough food here in the wilderness to feed such a great crowd?” 34And Jesus asked them, “How many loaves have you?” And they said, “Seven, and a few little fishes.” 35And He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36And He took those seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, He broke them, and gave them to His disciples, and the disciples distributed them to the multitude. 37And they all ate, and were filled; and they gathered of the broken remnants seven baskets full. 38And those that ate were four thousand men, beside women and children. 39And after Jesus had sent the multitude away, He got into a boat, and came into the region of Magadan.

Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition
© 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.

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