Matthew 15:15-28

The Heart of Man

15 Peter said to Him, "¹Explain the parable to us."

16 Jesus said, "Are you still lacking in understanding also?

17 "Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated *?

18 "But ²the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.

19 "³For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.

20 "These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man."

The Syrophoenician Woman

21 ⁴Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of ⁵Tyre and ⁶Sidon.

22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, "Have mercy on me, Lord, ⁷Son of David; my daughter is cruelly ⁸demon-possessed."

23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, "Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us."

24 But He answered and said, "I was sent only * * to ⁹the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

25 But she came and ¹⁰began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"

26 And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

27 But she said, "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."

28 Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, ¹¹your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once *.

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 13:36
• 2. Matthew 12:34; Mark 7:20
• 3. Galatians 5:19f
• 4. Matthew 15:21-28: {Mark 7:24-30}
• 5. Matthew 11:21
• 6. Matthew 11:21
• 7. Matthew 9:27
• 8. Matthew 4:24
• 9. Matthew 10:6
• 10. Matthew 8:2
• 11. Matthew 9:22

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "answered and said"
• [b]. Lit "and He"
• [c]. Lit "thrown out into the latrine"
• [d]. I.e. sexual immorality
• [e]. Lit "behind us"
• [f]. Or "worshiped"
• [g]. Or "proper"
• [h]. Lit "for"
• [i]. Lit "from that hour"