Matthew 15:23

New Living Translation

But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. "Tell her to go away," they said. "She is bothering us with all her begging."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples approached him and urged him, “Send her away because she’s crying out after us.”

King James Version (1611)
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came, and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she cryeth after vs.

King James Version
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

English Standard Version
But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying out after us."

New American Standard Bible
But He did not answer her with even a word. And His disciples came up and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us!"

New Century Version
But Jesus did not answer the woman. So his followers came to Jesus and begged him, "Tell the woman to go away. She is following us and shouting."

Amplified Bible
But He did not say a word in answer to her. And His disciples came and asked Him [repeatedly], "Send her away, because she keeps shouting out after us."

Geneva Bible (1587)
But hee answered her not a worde. Then came to him his disciples, and besought him, saying, Sende her away, for she crieth after vs.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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."

Legacy Standard Bible
But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and were pleading with Him, saying, "Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us."

Berean Standard Bible
But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."

Contemporary English Version
Jesus did not say a word. But the woman kept following along and shouting, so his disciples came up and asked him to send her away.

Complete Jewish Bible
But Yeshua did not say a word to her. Then his talmidim came to him and urged him, "Send her away, because she is following us and keeps pestering us with her crying."

Darby Translation
But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came to [him] and asked him, saying, Dismiss her, for she cries after us.

Easy-to-Read Version
But Jesus did not answer her. So the followers came to him and said, "Tell her to go away. She keeps crying out and will not leave us alone."

George Lamsa Translation
But he did not answer her. And his disciples came up to him and urged him, saying, Dismiss her, for she keeps crying aloud after us.

Good News Translation
But Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples came to him and begged him, "Send her away! She is following us and making all this noise!"

Lexham English Bible
But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came up and asked him, saying, "Send her away, because she is crying out after us!"

Literal Translation
But He did not answer her a word. And coming near, His disciples asked Him, saying, Send her away, for she cries out after us.

American Standard Version
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

Bible in Basic English
But he gave her no answer. And his disciples came and said to him, Send her away, for she is crying after us.

Hebrew Names Version
But he answered her not a word. His talmidim came and begged him, saying, "Send her away; for she cries after us."

International Standard Version
But he didn't answer her at all.a word">[fn] Then his disciples came up and kept urging him, "Send her away, for she keeps on screaming after us."

Etheridge Translation
But he did not return her an answer. And the disciples approached and requested from him, saying, Dismiss her, for she crieth after us.

Murdock Translation
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and requested of him, and said: Send her away, for she crieth after us.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But he aunswered her not a worde: and his disciples came, and besought hym, saying: sende her away, for she cryeth after vs.

English Revised Version
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

World English Bible
But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away; for she cries after us."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us.

Weymouth's New Testament
But He answered her not a word. Then the disciples interposed, and begged Him, saying, "Send her away because she keeps crying behind us."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he answeride not to hir a word. And hise disciplis camen, and preieden hym, and seiden, Leue thou hir, for she crieth aftir vs.

Update Bible Version
But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and implored him, saying, Send her away; for she cries out after us.

Webster's Bible Translation
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

New English Translation
But he did not answer her a word. Then his disciples came and begged him, "Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us."

New King James Version
But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, "Send her away, for she cries out after us."

New Life Bible
But Jesus did not speak a word to her. His followers kept asking, saying, "Send her away for she keeps calling us."

New Revised Standard
But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, he, answered her no a word. And his disciples, coming forward began requesting him, saying - Dismiss her, because she is crying out after us.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying: Send her away, for she crieth after us:

Revised Standard Version
But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And he gave her never a worde to answer. Then came to him his disciples and besought him sayinge: sende her awaye for she foloweth vs cryinge.

Young's Literal Translation
And he did not answer her a word; and his disciples having come to him, were asking him, saying -- `Let her away, because she crieth after us;'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he answered her neuer a worde. The came his disciples vnto him, & besought him, sayege: Sede her awaye, for she crieth after us.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but Jesus not making her any answer, his disciples came and entreated him to grant her request; for, said they, she is very importunate with us.

THE MESSAGE
Jesus ignored her. The disciples came and complained, "Now she's bothering us. Would you please take care of her? She's driving us crazy."

Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus never said a word to her but just kept riding. The lady wouldn't give up, so the cowboys asked Jesus if he would tell her to shut up and leave.

Contextual Overview

²¹ Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely." ²³ But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. "Tell her to go away," they said. "She is bothering us with all her begging." ²⁴ Then Jesus said to the woman, "I was sent only to help God's lost sheep—the people of Israel." ²⁵ But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, "Lord, help me!" ²⁶ Jesus responded, "It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs." ²⁷ She replied, "That's true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters' table." ²⁸ "Dear woman," Jesus said to her, "your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Genesis 42:7, Deuteronomy 8:2, Psalms 28:1, Lamentations 3:8

Send: Matthew 14:15, Mark 10:47, Mark 10:48

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 4:27 - thrust 2 Kings 5:10 - sent a messenger Job 30:20 - I cry Matthew 20:31 - rebuked Mark 6:36 - General Mark 7:27 - Let Mark 8:33 - he rebuked Luke 4:38 - they Luke 9:12 - Send Luke 18:5 - weary John 8:6 - as though

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But he answered her not a word,.... Not that he did not hear her, or that he despised either her person or petition, or that he was not moved with it; but to continue her importunity, and try her faith, and make it manifest: for like reasons the Lord does not always, and immediately, answer the requests of his people. This giving her no answer, either that he would, or would not help her, carried in it a tacit repulse of her, and a denial of assistance to her; and it seems as if she did for a while desist from her application to him, and betook herself to his disciples to plead with him for her:

and his disciples came; to the house where he was; who, it seems by this, had been elsewhere;

and besought him, saying, send her away; not in any shape, with any sort of answer, without curing her daughter, or without a promise of a cure; no, they desired she might be dismissed, with a grant of her request, to her entire satisfaction, as appears from Christ's answer: the reason they give is,

for she crieth after us; not only because she was troublesome to them, was importunate with them, and would take no denial from them: she followed them wherever they went; there was no getting rid of her: but also, because her case was so moving, was delivered in such an affecting manner, and her cries were piercing, that they could not bear them; and therefore entreat him, that he would relieve, and dismiss her.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This narrative is also found in Mark 7:24-30.

The coasts of Tyre and Sidon - These cities were on the seacoast or shore of the Mediterranean. See the notes at Matthew 11:21. Jesus went there for the purpose of concealment Mark 7:24, perhaps still to avoid Herod.

Matthew 15:22

A woman of Canaan - This woman is called, also, a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, Mark 7:26

In ancient times, the whole land, including Tyre and Sidon, was in the possession of the Canaanites, and called Canaan. The Phoenicians were descended from the Canaanites. The country, including Tyre and Sidon, was called Phoenicia, or Syro-Phoenicia. That country was taken by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, and those cities, in the time of Christ, were Greek cities. This woman was therefore a Gentile, living under the Greek government, and probably speaking the Greek language. She was by birth a Syro-Phoenician, born in that country, and descended, therefore, from the ancient Canaanites. All these names might, with propriety, be given to her.

Coasts - Regions or countries.

Thou son of David - Descendant of David. See the notes at Matthew 1:1. The phrase here means the Messiah.

Is grievously vexed with a devil - See the notes at Matthew 4:24. The woman showed great earnestness. She cried unto him, and fell at his feet, Mark 7:25.

Matthew 15:23

But he answered her not a word - This was done to test her faith, and that there might be exhibited to the apostles an example of the effect of persevering supplication.

The result shows that it was not unwillingness to aid her, or neglect of her. It was proper that the strength of her faith should be fully tried.

Matthew 15:24

But he answered and said, I am not sent ... - This answer was made to the woman, not to the disciples.

The “lost sheep of the house of Israel” were the Jews. He came first to them. He came as their expected Messiah. He came to preach the gospel himself to the Jews only. Afterward it was preached to the Gentiles, but the ministry of Jesus was confined almost entirely to the Jews.

Matthew 15:25

She came and worshipped - That is, bowed down to him or did him reverence.

See the notes at Matthew 8:2.

Lord, help me! - A proper cry for a poor sinner, who needs the help of the Lord Jesus.

Matthew 15:26

But he answered and said, It is not meet ... - That is, it is not appropriate or proper.

Children’s bread - The Jews considered themselves as the special children of God.

To all other nations they were accustomed to apply terms of contempt, of which dogs was the most common. The Muslims still apply the term “dogs” to Christians, and Christians and Jews to each other. The term is designed as an expression of the highest contempt. The Saviour means to say that he was sent to the Jews. The woman was a Gentile. He meant merely using a term in common use, and designed to test her faith in the strongest manner - that it did not comport with the design of his personal ministry to apply benefits intended for the Jews to others. Evidently he cannot be understood as intending to justify or sanction the use of such terms, or calling names. He meant to try her faith. As if he had said, “You are a Gentile; I am a Jew. The Jews call themselves children of God. You they vilify and abuse, calling you a dog. Are you willing to receive of a Jew, then, a favor? Are you willing to submit to these appellations to receive a favor of one of that nation, and to acknowledge your dependence on a people that so despise you?” It was, therefore, a trial of her faith, and was not a lending of his sanction to the propriety of the abusive term. He regarded her with a different feeling.

Matthew 15:27

And she said, Truth, Lord ... - What you say is true.

Let it be that the best food should be given to the children - let the Jews have the chief benefit of thy ministry; but the dogs beneath the table eat the crumbs. So let me be regarded as a dog, a pagan, as unworthy of everything. Yet grant one exertion of that almighty power displayed so signally among the Jews, and heal the despised daughter of a despised heathen mother.”

Matthew 15:28

Great is thy faith - That is, thy trust, confidence.

The word here seems to include, also, the humility and perseverance manifested in pressing her suit. The daughter was healed then. Going home, she found her well and composed, Mark 7:30.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 15:23. He answered her not a word. — Seemed to take time to consider her request, and to give her the opportunity of exercising her faith, and manifesting her fervour.