The Teaching of the Ancestors
(Matthew 15.1-9)1 Some Pharisees and several teachers of the Law of Moses from Jerusalem came and gathered around Jesus. 2 They noticed that some of his disciples ate without first washing their hands.
3 The Pharisees and many others obey the teachings of their ancestors. They always wash their hands in the proper way before eating. 4 None of them will eat anything they buy in the market until it is washed. They also follow a lot of other teachings, such as washing cups, pitchers, and bowls.
5 The Pharisees and teachers asked Jesus, “Why don't your disciples obey what our ancestors taught us to do? Why do they eat without washing their hands?”
6 Jesus replied:
You are nothing but show-offs! The prophet Isaiah was right when he wrote that God had said,
“All of you praise me
with your words,
but you never really
think about me.
7 It is useless for you
to worship me,
when you teach rules
made up by humans.”
8 You disobey God's commands in order to obey what humans have taught. 9 You are good at rejecting God's commands so that you can follow your own teachings! 10 Didn't Moses command you to respect your father and mother? Didn't he tell you to put to death all who curse their parents? 11 But you let people get by without helping their parents when they should. You let them say that what they own has been offered to God. 12 You won't let those people help their parents. 13 And you ignore God's commands in order to follow your own teaching. You do a lot of other things just as bad.
What Really Makes People Unclean
(Matthew 15.10-20)14 Jesus called the crowd together again and said, “Pay attention and try to understand what I mean. 15-16 The food that you put into your mouth doesn't make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean.”
17 After Jesus and his disciples had left the crowd and gone into the house, they asked him what these sayings meant. 18 He answered, “Don't you know what I am talking about by now? You surely know that the food you put into your mouth cannot make you unclean. 19 It doesn't go into your heart, but into your stomach, and then out of your body.” By saying this, Jesus meant that all foods were fit to eat.
20 Then Jesus said:
What comes from your heart is what makes you unclean. 21 Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, 22 unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. 23 All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God.
A Woman's Faith
(Matthew 15.21-28)24 Jesus left and went to the region near the town of Tyre, where he stayed in someone's home. He did not want people to know he was there, but they found out anyway. 25 A woman whose daughter had an evil spirit in her heard where Jesus was. And at once she came and knelt down at his feet. 26 The woman was Greek and had been born in the part of Syria known as Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to force the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said, “The children must first be fed! It isn't right to take away their food and feed it to dogs.”
28 The woman replied, “Lord, even puppies eat the crumbs that children drop from the table.”
29 Jesus answered, “That's true! You may go now. The demon has left your daughter.” 30 When the woman got back home, she found her child lying on the bed. The demon had gone.
Jesus Heals a Man Who Was Deaf and Could Hardly Talk
31 Jesus left the region around Tyre and went by way of Sidon toward Lake Galilee. He went through the land near the ten cities known as Decapolis. 32 Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk. They begged Jesus just to touch him.
33 After Jesus had taken him aside from the crowd, he stuck his fingers in the man's ears. Then he spit and put it on the man's tongue. 34 Jesus looked up toward heaven, and with a groan he said, “Effatha!” which means “Open up!” 35 At once the man could hear, and he had no more trouble talking clearly.
36 Jesus told the people not to say anything about what he had done. But the more he told them, the more they talked about it. 37 They were completely amazed and said, “Everything he does is good! He even heals people who cannot hear or talk.”
Vecajo likumi un Dieva bauslība
(Mt 15:1–20)1 Pie viņa sapulcējās farizeji un daži rakstu mācītāji, kas bija atnākuši no Jeruzālemes. 2 Ieraudzījuši, ka daži viņa mācekļi ar netīrām, tas ir, nemazgātām, rokām ēd maizi – 3 jo farizeji un visi jūdi, vecajo paražas turēdami, neēd, pirms nav īpaši mazgājuši rokas; 4 tāpat no tirgus pārnākuši, tie neēd, iekams nav šķīstījušies, un vēl daudz ko citu viņi uzņēmušies ievērot: vīna kausu, kannu un vara trauku šķīstīšanu –, 5 tādēļ farizeji un rakstu mācītāji viņam jautāja: “Kādēļ tavi mācekļi nedzīvo pēc vecajo paražām, bet maizi ēd ar nemazgātām rokām?” 6 Bet viņš tiem sacīja: “Jesaja labi par jums, liekuļiem, ir pravietojis, rakstīdams: šī tauta mani godā ar mēli, bet viņu sirds ir tālu no manis. 7 Tie man velti izrāda godbijību, mācīdami mācības, kas ir cilvēku pavēles. 8 Dieva bausli atmetuši, jūs ievērojat cilvēku paražas .” 9 Un viņš turpināja: “Jums labi izdodas atmest Dieva bausli, lai turētu savas paražas. 10 Mozus taču ir teicis: godā savu tēvu un māti, – un: kas runā ļaunu par tēvu un māti, lai mirdams mirst. 11 Bet jūs sakāt: ja kāds cilvēks savam tēvam vai mātei saka: es ziedošu Dievam to, kas jums pienākas no manis, – 12 tad jūs viņam neko vairs neļaujat darīt tēva un mātes labā, 13 jūs ar savām paražām, ko esat ieviesuši, atceļat Dieva vārdu; un daudz ko tamlīdzīgu jūs darāt.” 14 Un, ļaudis atkal pieaicinājis, viņš tiem sacīja: “Klausieties mani visi un saprotiet! 15 Nekas cilvēku nespēj sagānīt, kas no ārpuses viņā ieiet, bet, kas no cilvēka iziet, tas viņu sagāna.” 17 Kad viņi iegāja namā, prom no ļaudīm, mācekļi izjautāja viņu par šo līdzību. 18 Un viņš tiem sacīja: “Vai arī jūs esat tādi nejēgas? Vai jūs nesaprotat, ka tas, kas no ārpuses ieiet cilvēkā, nespēj viņu sagānīt? 19 Jo tas neieiet viņa sirdī, bet vēderā un iziet ārā, tā šķīstot katru barību.” 20 Un tad viņš teica: “Kas no cilvēka iziet, tas sagāna cilvēku. 21 Jo no iekšienes, no cilvēka sirds iziet ļaunas domas, izvirtība, zādzība, slepkavība, 22 laulības pārkāpšana, alkatība, ļaunprātība, viltība, izlaidība, skaudīga acs, zaimošana, lepnība, muļķība. 23 Viss šis ļaunums nāk no iekšienes un sagāna cilvēku.”
Pagānu sievietes lielā ticība
(Mt 15:21–28)24 No turienes viņš aizgāja uz Tīras apvidu. Iegājis kādā namā, viņš negribēja, ka to kāds uzzinātu, bet nevarēja palikt apslēpts, 25 jo kāda sieviete, kuras meitiņai bija nešķīsts gars, izdzirdusi par viņu, tūlīt nāca un krita pie viņa kājām. 26 Šī sieviete bija grieķiete, no Sīrijas feniķiešu dzimtas, un lūdza Jēzu, lai viņš izdzen dēmonu no viņas meitas. 27 Un viņš tai sacīja: “Ļauj, lai vispirms bērni tiek pabaroti, jo nav labi atņemt maizi bērniem un nomest sunīšiem.” 28 Bet viņa tam atbildēja: “Jā gan, Kungs, bet sunīši zem galda ēd no bērnu druskām.” 29 Tad viņš tai sacīja: “Šo vārdu dēļ ej! Dēmons ir izgājis no tavas meitas.” 30 Savās mājās nogājusi, viņa atrada meiteni gultā mierīgi guļam, un dēmons no viņas bija izgājis.
Kurlmēmā vīra dziedināšana
31 Tad, no Tīras apvidus atkal aizgājis, viņš caur Sidonu nonāca pie Galilejas jūras Dekapoles apvidū. 32 Pie viņa atveda kādu kurlmēmu un lūdza, lai viņš tam uzliek rokas. 33 Un viņš, aizvedis to no ļaužu pūļa savrup, lika pirkstus tā ausīs un spļāva, un aizskāra tā mēli. 34 Un, paskatījies uz debesīm, viņš ievaidējās un sacīja: “Efata!” – tas ir: atveries! 35 Un viņa ausis tūlīt atvērās un mēles saites atraisījās, un viņš sāka skaidri runāt. 36 Un viņš tiem piekodināja nevienam to nestāstīt; bet, jo vairāk viņš aizliedza, jo vairāk tie daudzināja. 37 Un ļaudis ļoti brīnījās un runāja: “Viņš visu labi izdara – kurlie spēj dzirdēt un mēmie runāt.”
