Matthew 15:15

Weymouth New Testament

"Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Peter said, “Explain this parable to us.”

King James Version (1611)
Then answered Peter, and said vnto him, Declare vnto vs this parable.

King James Version
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

English Standard Version
But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us."

New American Standard Bible
Peter said to Him, "Explain the parable to us."

New Century Version
Peter said, "Explain the example to us."

Amplified Bible
Peter asked Him, "Explain this parable [about what defiles a person] to us."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then answered Peter, and said to him, Declare vnto vs this parable.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Peter said to Him, "Explain the parable to us."

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain the parable to us."

Berean Standard Bible
Peter said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."

Contemporary English Version
Peter replied, "What did you mean when you talked about the things that make people unclean?"

Complete Jewish Bible
Kefa said to him, "Explain the parable to us."

Darby Translation
And Peter answering said to him, Expound to us this parable.

Easy-to-Read Version
Peter said, "Explain to us what you said earlier to the people."

George Lamsa Translation
And Simon Peter answered and said to him, My Lord, explain this parable to us.

Good News Translation
Peter spoke up, "Explain this saying to us."

Lexham English Bible
But Peter answered and said to him, "Explain this parable to us."

Literal Translation
And answering, Peter said to Him, Explain this parable to us.

American Standard Version
And Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us the parable.

Bible in Basic English
Then Peter said to him, Make the story clear to us.

Hebrew Names Version
Kefa answered him, "Explain the parable to us."

International Standard Version
Then Peter said to him, "Explain to us thisthe">[fn] parable."Mark 7:17;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And Shemun Kipha answered and said, My Lord, expound to us this parable.

Murdock Translation
And Simon Cephas answered and said to him: My Lord, explain to us this similitude.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then aunswered Peter, and sayde vnto hym: Declare vnto vs this parable.

English Revised Version
And Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us the parable.

World English Bible
Peter answered him, "Explain the parable to us."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then answered Peter and said to him, Declare to us this parable.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Petre answeride, and seide to hym, Expowne to vs this parable.

Update Bible Version
And Peter answered and said to him, Declare to us this parable.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then answered Peter and said to him, Declare to us this parable.

New English Translation
But Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us."

New King James Version
Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."

New Living Translation
Then Peter said to Jesus, "Explain to us the parable that says people aren't defiled by what they eat."

New Life Bible
Then Peter said to Jesus, "Tell us this picture-story so we can understand it."

New Revised Standard
But Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Peter, answering, said unto him, Declare to us the parable.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Peter answering, said to him: Expound to us this parable.

Revised Standard Version
But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then answered Peter and sayd to him: declare vnto vs this parable.

Young's Literal Translation
And Peter answering said to him, `Explain to us this simile.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then answered Peter & sayde vnto him: Declare vnto us this parable.

Mace New Testament (1729)
then Peter said to him, tell us the meaning of that expression.

THE MESSAGE
Peter said, "I don't get it. Put it in plain language."

Simplified Cowboy Version
Pete asked Jesus, "What was you talkin' about when you said there are things that make a person unfit in the Boss's eyes?"

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ Then, when He had called the people to Him, Jesus said, "Hear and understand. ¹¹ It is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him; but it is what comes out of his mouth--*that* defiles a man." ¹² Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were greatly shocked when they heard those words?" ¹³ "Every plant," He replied, "which my Heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. ¹⁴ Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind; and if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into some pit." ¹⁵ "Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter. ¹⁶ "Are even you," He answered, "still without intellingence? ¹⁷ Do you not understand that whatever enters the mouth passes into the stomach and is afterwards ejected from the body? ¹⁸ But the things that come out of the mouth proceed from the heart, and it is these that defile the man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed wicked thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, perjury, impiety of speech.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Declare: Matthew 13:36, Mark 4:34, Mark 7:17, John 16:29

Reciprocal: Mark 4:13 - Know Mark 9:28 - asked Luke 8:9 - What Acts 8:34 - of whom

Cross-References

Matthew 22:32
`I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of dead, but of living men."

Acts 13:36
For David, after having been useful to his own generation in accordance with God's purpose, did fall asleep, was gathered to his forefathers, and did undergo decay.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then answered Peter,.... Mark says, "his disciples asked him concerning the parable"; which might be by the mouth of Peter; who, probably, being the eldest man, and very forward to speak, was generally their spokesman: and who, at this time, might be requested, by the rest, to ask the meaning of the parable, which had given offence to the Pharisees, and was not clearly understood by them; which he accordingly did:

and said unto him, declare unto us this parable; that not what goes into the mouth, but what comes out of it, defiles the man; which, though expressed in very plain words, and easy to be understood, yet did not appear clear to their understandings; and seemed to be contrary, not only to the traditions of the elders, but to the laws of God, respecting the difference of clean and unclean meats; and therefore call it a "parable", and desire an explanation of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See also Mark 7:17-23.

Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable - See the notes at Matthew 13:3. The word “parable” sometimes means a dark or obscure saying, Psalms 78:2. Peter meant, “Explain to us more fully this obscure and novel doctrine.” To us, now, it is plain; to the disciples, just coming out of Judaism, the doctrine of Jesus was obscure. Mark says that the disciples asked him. There is no contradiction. The question was put by Peter in the name of the disciples; or several of them put the question, though Matthew has mentioned only one. An omission is not a contradiction.

Matthew 15:16

Are ye also yet without understanding? - Jesus appeals, in explaining this, to their common sense; and he wonders that they had not yet learned to judge the foolish traditions of the Jews by the decisions of common sense and by his own instructions.

Matthew 15:17

Do ye not understand ... - The meaning of this may be thus expressed: The food which is eaten does not affect the mind, and therefore cannot pollute it.

The doctrine of the Pharisees, that neglect of washing and of similar observances defiles a man, cannot be true. Those things pertain to the body as much as food does, and they cannot affect the soul. That must be purified by something else than external washing, and it is polluted by other things than a neglect of mere outward ceremonies. The seat of corruption is within - it is the heart itself; and if people would be made pure, this must be cleansed. If that is corrupt, the whole man is corrupt.

Matthew 15:18-20

Christ proceeds to state what does defile the man, or render him a sinner:

1. “Evil thoughts” These are the first things - these are the fountains of all others. Thought precedes action. Thought, or purpose, or motive, gives its character to conduct. All evil thoughts are here intended. Though we labor to suppress them, yet they defile us. They leave pollution behind them.

2. “Murders.” Taking the life of others with malice. The malice has its seat in the heart, and the murder therefore proceeds from the heart, 1 John 3:15.

3. “Adulteries, fornication.” See Matthew 5:28.

4. “Thefts.” Theft is the taking and carrying away the goods of others without their knowledge or consent. Thefts are caused by coveting the property of others. They proceed, therefore, from the heart, and violate at the same time two commandments - the tenth commandment in thought and the eighth commandment in act.

5. “False witness.” Giving wrong testimony. Concealing the truth, or stating what we know to be false - a violation of the ninth commandment. It proceeds from a desire to injure others, to take away their character or property, or to do them injustice. It proceeds thus from the heart.

6. “Blasphemies.” See the notes at Matthew 9:3. Blasphemy proceeds from opposition to God, hatred of his character Romans 8:7, and from a desire that there should be no God. It proceeds from the heart. See Psalms 14:1. Mark adds several things to those enumerated by Matthew:

(a) “Covetousness.” The unlawful desire of what others possess, this always proceeds from the heart.

(b) “Wickedness.” The original here means malice, or a desire of injuring others, Romans 1:29.

(c) “Deceit,” i. e., fraud, concealment, cheating in trade. This proceeds from a desire to benefit ourselves by doing injustice to others, and this proceeds from the heart.

(d) Lasciviousness. Lust, obscenity, unbridled passion - a strong, evil desire of the heart.

(e) “An evil eye.” That is, an eye that is sour, malignant, proud; or an eye of lust and passion. See Matthew 5:28; Matthew 20:15; 2 Peter 2:14, “Having eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease from sin.”

(f) “Pride.” An improper estimate of our own importance; thinking that we are of much more consequence than we really are. This is always the work of an evil heart.

(g) “Foolishness.” Not a lack of intellect - man is not to blame for that - but a moral folly, consisting in choosing evil ends and the bad means of gaining them; or, in other words, sin and wickedness. All sin is folly. It is foolish for a man to disobey God, and foolish for anyone to go to hell.

Matthew 15:20

These are the things which defile a man - These are the true sources of pollution in man.

These are what corrupt and degrade. It is not the neglect of washing the body which defiles; it is the deep, inward corruption of the heart. And what a fountain of pollution is the human soul! What an array of crimes to proceed from the heart of man! What a proof of guilt! What strictness is there in the law of God! How universal is depravity!

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Matthew 15:15. Declare unto us this parable. — Is it not strange to hear the disciples asking for the explanation of such a parable as this! The true knowledge of the spirit of the Gospel is a thing more uncommon than we imagine, among the generality of Christians, and even of the learned.