Chapter 15

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

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

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

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

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

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  And 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.  

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  [Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?  

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

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

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

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

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

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  And, 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.  

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

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

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

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

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

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  Then 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.  

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

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  And 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:  

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  Insomuch 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.  

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  Then 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.  

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

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

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

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  And 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.  

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

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

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

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