Matthew 16:5-12

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread.

6 Jesus said to them, "Watch and ¹beware of ²the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, "We brought no bread."

8 But ³Jesus, aware of this, said, ⁴"O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?

9 ⁵Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember ⁶the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?

10 Or ⁷the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?

11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? ⁸Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees."

12 ⁹Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of ¹⁰the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Cross References

• 1. Luke 12:1
• 2. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 5:9
• 3. Matthew 26:10
• 4. See Matthew 6:30
• 5. Matthew 15:16
• 6. Matthew 14:17-21
• 7. Matthew 15:34-38
• 8. [See ver. 6 above]
• 9. Matthew 17:13
• 10. [Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:3]