Matthew 15:12-22

12 Then the disciples came to him and said, "Do you know that the Pharisees had their feelings hurt by what you said?"
13 "Every plant which my Father in heaven did not plant will be pulled up," answered Jesus.
14 "Don't worry about them! They are blind leaders of the blind; and when one blind man leads another, both fall into a ditch." 1
15 Peter spoke up, "Explain this saying to us."
16 Jesus said to them, "You are still no more intelligent than the others.
17 Don't you understand? Anything that goes into your mouth goes into your stomach and then on out of your body.
18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these are the things that make you ritually unclean. 2
19 For from your heart come the evil ideas which lead you to kill, commit adultery, and do other immoral things; to rob, lie, and slander others.
20 These are the things that make you unclean. But to eat without washing your hands as they say you should - this doesn't make you unclean."
21 Jesus left that place and went off to the territory near the cities of Tyre and Sidon.
22 A Canaanite woman who lived in that region came to him. "Son of David!" she cried out. "Have mercy on me, sir! My daughter has a demon and is in a terrible condition."

Cross References 2

  • 1. 15.14Luke 6.39.
  • 2. 15.18Matthew 12.34.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.