Matthew 14:13-36; Matthew 15:1-20

13 When Jesus heard what had happened to John, he left in a boat and went to a lonely place by himself. But the crowds heard about it and followed him on foot from the towns.

14 When he arrived, he saw a great crowd waiting. He felt sorry for them and healed those who were sick.

15 When it was evening, his followers came to him and said, "No one lives in this place, and it is already late. Send the people away so they can go to the towns and buy food for themselves."

16 But Jesus answered, "They don't need to go away. You give them something to eat."

17 They said to him, "But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish."

18 Jesus said, "Bring the bread and the fish to me."

19 Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish and, looking to heaven, he thanked God for the food. Jesus divided the bread and gave it to his followers, who gave it to the people.

20 All the people ate and were satisfied. Then the followers filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of food.

21 There were about five thousand men there who ate, not counting women and children.

22 Immediately Jesus told his followers to get into the boat and go ahead of him across the lake. He stayed there to send the people home.

23 After he had sent them away, he went by himself up into the hills to pray. It was late, and Jesus was there alone.

24 By this time, the boat was already far away from land. It was being hit by waves, because the wind was blowing against it.

25 Between three and six o'clock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the water.

26 When his followers saw him walking on the water, they were afraid. They said, "It's a ghost!" and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus quickly spoke to them, "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid."

28 Peter said, "Lord, if it is really you, then command me to come to you on the water."

29 Jesus said, "Come." And Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus.

30 But when Peter saw the wind and the waves, he became afraid and began to sink. He shouted, "Lord, save me!"

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter. Jesus said, "Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?"

32 After they got into the boat, the wind became calm.

33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped Jesus and said, "Truly you are the Son of God!"

34 When they had crossed the lake, they came to shore at Gennesaret.

35 When the people there recognized Jesus, they told people all around there that Jesus had come, and they brought all their sick to him.

36 They begged Jesus to let them touch just the edge of his coat, and all who touched it were healed.

1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem. They asked him,

2 "Why don't your followers obey the unwritten laws which have been handed down to us? They don't wash their hands before they eat."

3 Jesus answered, "And why do you refuse to obey God's command so that you can follow your own teachings?

4 God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'Anyone who says cruel things to his father or mother must be put to death.'

5 But you say a person can tell his father or mother, 'I have something I could use to help you, but I have given it to God already.'

6 You teach that person not to honor his father or his mother. You rejected what God said for the sake of your own rules.

7 You are hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he said about you:

8 'These people show honor to me with words, but their hearts are far from me.

9 Their worship of me is worthless. The things they teach are nothing but human rules.'"

10 After Jesus called the crowd to him, he said, "Listen and understand what I am saying.

11 It is not what people put into their mouths that makes them unclean. It is what comes out of their mouths that makes them unclean."

12 Then his followers came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees are angry because of what you said?"

13 Jesus answered, "Every plant that my Father in heaven has not planted himself will be pulled up by the roots.

14 Stay away from the Pharisees; they are blind leaders. And if a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a ditch."

15 Peter said, "Explain the example to us."

16 Jesus said, "Do you still not understand?

17 Surely you know that all the food that enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then goes out of the body.

18 But what people say with their mouths comes from the way they think; these are the things that make people unclean.

19 Out of the mind come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual sins, stealing, lying, and speaking evil of others.

20 These things make people unclean; eating with unwashed hands does not make them unclean."