مَتَّى 15

١ 1 حِينَئِذٍ جَاءَ إِلَى يَسُوعَ كَتَبَةٌ وَفَرِّيسِيُّونَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ قَائِلِينَ:

Then [some] Pharisees and men who taught the [Jewish] laws came from Jerusalem [to talk to] Jesus. They said,

٢ 2 «لِمَاذَا يَتَعَدَّى تَلَامِيذُكَ تَقْلِيدَ ٱلشُّيُوخِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ لَا يَغْسِلُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ حِينَمَا يَأْكُلُونَ خُبْزًا؟».

“(We think it is disgusting that your disciples disobey the traditions of our ancestors!/Why do your disciples disobey [what our ancestors wrote down and] our [elders taught us]?) [RHQ] They do not perform the proper ritual of washing their hands before they eat!”

٣ 3 فَأَجَابَ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «وَأَنْتُمْ أَيْضًا، لِمَاذَا تَتَعَدَّوْنَ وَصِيَّةَ ٱللهِ بِسَبَبِ تَقْلِيدِكُمْ؟

Jesus answered them, “(What is really disgusting is that you refuse to obey God’s commands [just] so that you can follow what your ancestors taught you!/Why do you refuse to obey what God commanded [people to do, just] so that you can follow your own traditions?) [RHQ]

٤ 4 فَإِنَّ ٱللهَ أَوْصَى قَائِلًا: أَكْرِمْ أَبَاكَ وَأُمَّكَ، وَمَنْ يَشْتِمْ أَبًا أَوْ أُمًّا فَلْيَمُتْ مَوْتًا.

God gave these [two] commands: ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘People who speak evil about their father or mother must be executed.’

٥ 5 وَأَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فَتَقُولُونَ: مَنْ قَالَ لِأَبِيهِ أَوْ أُمِّهِ: قُرْبَانٌ هُوَ ٱلَّذِي تَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ مِنِّي. فَلَا يُكْرِمُ أَبَاهُ أَوْ أُمَّهُ.

But you tell people, ‘You can say to your father or mother, “What I was going to give to you [to help provide for you], [I have now promised] to give [to God].”’

٦ 6 فَقَدْ أَبْطَلْتُمْ وَصِيَّةَ ٱللهِ بِسَبَبِ تَقْلِيدِكُمْ!

And if you do that, you think that you do not need to give anything to help your parents. In [that way], [by teaching people] your traditions, you disregard what God commanded.

٧ 7 يَا مُرَاؤُونَ! حَسَنًا تَنَبَّأَ عَنْكُمْ إِشَعْيَاءُ قَائِلًا:

You only pretend to be good! Isaiah prophesied accurately about you [also when he quoted what God said about your ancestors. God said],

٨ 8 يَقْتَرِبُ إِلَيَّ هَذَا ٱلشَّعْبُ بِفَمِهِ، وَيُكْرِمُنِي بِشَفَتَيْهِ، وَأَمَّا قَلْبُهُ فَمُبْتَعِدٌ عَنِّي بَعِيدًا.

‘These people talk [as if they] honor me [MTY], but they do not think about honoring me at all [MET].

٩ 9 وَبَاطِلًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي وَهُمْ يُعَلِّمُونَ تَعَالِيمَ هِيَ وَصَايَا ٱلنَّاسِ».

It is useless for them to worship me, because they teach what people thought up [as if I myself had commanded it].’”

١٠ 10 ثُمَّ دَعَا ٱلْجَمْعَ وَقَالَ لَهُمُ: «ٱسْمَعُوا وَٱفْهَمُوا.

Then Jesus [again] summoned the crowd to come [nearer] to him. Then he said to them, “Listen to [what I am about to tell you], and [try to] understand it.

١١ 11 لَيْسَ مَا يَدْخُلُ ٱلْفَمَ يُنَجِّسُ ٱلْإِنْسَانَ، بَلْ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ ٱلْفَمِ هَذَا يُنَجِّسُ ٱلْإِنْسَانَ».

Nothing that a person puts into his mouth [to eat] causes [God to consider] that person to be unacceptable. Instead, it is [the words] that come out of people’s mouths [SYN] that cause [God to reject them].”

١٢ 12 حِينَئِذٍ تَقَدَّمَ تَلَامِيذُهُ وَقَالُوا لَهُ: «أَتَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ٱلْفَرِّيسِيِّينَ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا ٱلْقَوْلَ نَفَرُوا؟».

Later we disciples went to Jesus and said, “Do you know that the Pharisees heard what you said, and as a result they felt offended [RHQ]?”

١٣ 13 فَأَجَابَ وَقَالَ: «كُلُّ غَرْسٍ لَمْ يَغْرِسْهُ أَبِي ٱلسَّمَاوِيُّ يُقْلَعُ.

Then, [to teach us what God would do to the Pharisees], Jesus told [us this parable]: “My Father in heaven [will] get rid of all [those who teach things that are contrary to his truth, just like a farmer] gets rid of plants that he did not plant, by pulling them up along with their roots [MET].

١٤ 14 اُتْرُكُوهُمْ. هُمْ عُمْيَانٌ قَادَةُ عُمْيَانٍ. وَإِنْ كَانَ أَعْمَى يَقُودُ أَعْمَى يَسْقُطَانِ كِلَاهُمَا فِي حُفْرَةٍ».

Do not pay any attention to [the Pharisees]. They [do not help people who do not know God’s truth] to [understand it, just like] blind guides [do not help] blind [people to perceive where they should go] [MET]. If a blind person [tries to] lead [another] blind person, they will both fall into a big hole [MET]. [Similarly, both the Pharisees and their disciples will end up in hell].” (questioned)

١٥ 15 فَأَجَابَ بُطْرُسُ وَقَالَ لَهُ: «فَسِّرْ لَنَا هَذَا ٱلْمَثَلَ».

Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable [about what a person eats].”

١٦ 16 فَقَالَ يَسُوعُ: «هَلْ أَنْتُمْ أَيْضًا حَتَّى ٱلْآنَ غَيْرُ فَاهِمِينَ؟

He replied [to them], “(I am disappointed that even you, [who should understand what I teach], still do not understand!/Why is it that even you [who should understand what I teach], still do not understand?) [RHQ]

١٧ 17 أَلَا تَفْهَمُونَ بَعْدُ أَنَّ كُلَّ مَا يَدْخُلُ ٱلْفَمَ يَمْضِي إِلَى ٱلْجَوْفِ وَيَنْدَفِعُ إِلَى ٱلْمَخْرَجِ؟

(You ought to understand that all [food that people] eat enters their stomachs, and later the refuse passes out of their [bodies]./Cannot you understand that all [food that people] eat enters their stomachs and later the refuse passes out [of their bodies]?) [RHQ] [Because food does not alter what we think and desire, what we eat does not cause God to consider that we are unacceptable to him].

١٨ 18 وَأَمَّا مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ ٱلْفَمِ فَمِنَ ٱلْقَلْبِ يَصْدُرُ، وَذَاكَ يُنَجِّسُ ٱلْإِنْسَانَ،

[You should know that] what comes out of [people’s] mouths, [meaning everything that they say] [SYN], comes from their inner beings/hearts. Many of the [things that they say] cause [God to consider] them to be unacceptable [to him].

١٩ 19 لِأَنْ مِنَ ٱلْقَلْبِ تَخْرُجُ أَفْكَارٌ شِرِّيرَةٌ: قَتْلٌ، زِنىً، فِسْقٌ، سِرْقَةٌ، شَهَادَةُ زُورٍ، تَجْدِيفٌ.

It is people’s innermost beings that [cause them] to think things that are evil, to murder people, to [commit] adultery, to commit other sexual sins, to steal things, to testify falsely, and to speak evil about [others].

٢٠ 20 هَذِهِ هِيَ ٱلَّتِي تُنَجِّسُ ٱلْإِنْسَانَ. وَأَمَّا ٱلْأَ كْلُ بِأَيْدٍ غَيْرِ مَغْسُولَةٍ فَلَا يُنَجِّسُ ٱلْإِنْسَانَ».

It is these actions that cause [God to consider] people to be unacceptable [to him]. To eat with unwashed hands does not cause [God to consider] people unacceptable to him.”

٢١ 21 ثُمَّ خَرَجَ يَسُوعُ مِنْ هُنَاكَ وَٱنْصَرَفَ إِلَى نَوَاحِي صُورَ وَصَيْدَاءَ.

After Jesus [took us and] left [Galilee district], we went into the region [where the cities of] Tyre and Sidon [are located].

٢٢ 22 وَإِذَا ٱمْرَأَةٌ كَنْعَانِيَّةٌ خَارِجَةٌ مِنْ تِلْكَ ٱلتُّخُومِ صَرَخَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَائِلَةً: «ٱرْحَمْنِي، يا سَيِّدُ، يا ٱبْنَ دَاوُدَ! اِبْنَتِي مَجْنُونَةٌ جِدًّا».

A woman [from the group of people called] Canaanites who live in that region came [to the place where Jesus was staying]. She kept shouting [to him], “Lord, you are the descendant of [King] David, [you are the Messiah!] Have pity on me [and my daughter!] She is suffering very much because a demon controls her.”

٢٣ 23 فَلَمْ يُجِبْهَا بِكَلِمَةٍ. فَتَقَدَّمَ تَلَامِيذُهُ وَطَلَبُوا إِلَيْهِ قَائِلِينَ: «ٱصْرِفْهَا، لِأَنَّهَا تَصِيحُ وَرَاءَنَا!».

But Jesus did not answer her at all. [We] disciples came to him, and [knowing that the woman was not a Jew], we said to him, “Tell her to leave, because she keeps [bothering us] by yelling behind us!”

٢٤ 24 فَأَجَابَ وَقَالَ: «لَمْ أُرْسَلْ إِلَّا إِلَى خِرَافِ بَيْتِ إِسْرَائِيلَ ٱلضَّالَّةِ».

But Jesus said [to her], “I have been sent {[God] has sent me} to [help] only the Israelite people [at this time] [SYN]. [They are like] sheep that have gotten lost [MET] [because they do not know the way to heaven].”

٢٥ 25 فَأَتَتْ وَسَجَدَتْ لَهُ قَائِلَةً: «يَا سَيِّدُ، أَعِنِّي!»

But she came [closer] to Jesus and knelt down in front of him [to worship him]. She pled, “Lord/Sir, help me!”

٢٦ 26 فَأَجَابَ وَقَالَ: «لَيْسَ حَسَنًا أَنْ يُؤْخَذَ خُبْزُ ٱلْبَنِينَ وَيُطْرَحَ لِلْكِلَابِ».

Then, [to suggest to her that he needed to help the Jews first and not the non-Jews, whom the Jews called dogs], he told her, “It is not good [for someone] to take food [that has been prepared for] the children and throw it to the [little] dogs.”

٢٧ 27 فَقَالَتْ: «نَعَمْ، يا سَيِّدُ! وَٱلْكِلَابُ أَيْضًا تَأْكُلُ مِنَ ٱلْفُتَاتِ ٱلَّذِي يَسْقُطُ مِنْ مَائِدَةِ أَرْبَابِهَا!».

[But to show that she believed that non-Jews could also receive help from God], the woman said [to Jesus], “Lord/Sir, what you [say is] correct, but even the [little] dogs eat the crumbs that fall to the floor [when] their masters [sit at] their tables [and eat]!”

٢٨ 28 حِينَئِذٍ أَجَابَ يَسُوعُ وَقَالَ لَهَا: «يَا ٱمْرَأَةُ، عَظِيمٌ إِيمَانُكِ! لِيَكُنْ لَكِ كَمَا تُرِيدِينَ». فَشُفِيَتِ ٱبْنَتُهَا مِنْ تِلْكَ ٱلسَّاعَةِ.

Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, [because] you believe firmly [in me, I] will [heal your daughter] as you desire!” At that moment [the demon left] her daughter, [and she] became well.

٢٩ 29 ثُمَّ ٱنْتَقَلَ يَسُوعُ مِنْ هُنَاكَ وَجَاءَ إِلَى جَانِبِ بَحْرِ ٱلْجَلِيلِ، وَصَعِدَ إِلَى ٱلْجَبَلِ وَجَلَسَ هُنَاكَ.

After Jesus, [along with us disciples], departed from that area, we went [back] to Galilee Lake [and walked] along it. Then Jesus climbed the hill [near there] and sat down [to teach the people].

٣٠ 30 فَجَاءَ إِلَيْهِ جُمُوعٌ كَثِيرَةٌ، مَعَهُمْ عُرْجٌ وَعُمْيٌ وَخُرْسٌ وَشُلٌّ وَآخَرُونَ كَثِيرُونَ، وَطَرَحُوهُمْ عِنْدَ قَدَمَيْ يَسُوعَ. فَشَفَاهُمْ

Crowds kept coming to him for the next two days and brought lame, crippled, and blind people, those who were unable to talk, and many others [who had various sicknesses]. They laid them in front of Jesus [so that he would heal them] [SYN]. And he healed them.

٣١ 31 حَتَّى تَعَجَّبَ ٱلْجُمُوعُ إِذْ رَأَوْا ٱلْخُرْسَ يَتَكَلَّمُونَ، وَٱلشُّلَّ يَصِحُّونَ، وَٱلْعُرْجَ يَمْشُونَ، وَٱلْعُمْيَ يُبْصِرُونَ. وَمَجَّدُوا إِلَهَ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

The crowd saw [him heal] people who could not talk, crippled people, lame people, and blind people, and they were amazed. They said, “Praise God [who rules over us who live in] Israel!”

٣٢ 32 وَأَمَّا يَسُوعُ فَدَعَا تَلَامِيذَهُ وَقَالَ: «إِنِّي أُشْفِقُ عَلَى ٱلْجَمْعِ، لِأَنَّ ٱلْآنَ لَهُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ يَمْكُثُونَ مَعِي وَلَيْسَ لَهُمْ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ. وَلَسْتُ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَصْرِفَهُمْ صَائِمِينَ لِئَلَّا يُخَوِّرُوا فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ».

Then Jesus called us disciples to him and said [to us], “This crowd [of people] has been with me for three days and have nothing [left] to eat. I feel sorry for them. I do not want to send them away [while they are still] hungry, [because if I did that], they might faint on the way [home].”

٣٣ 33 فَقَالَ لَهُ تَلَامِيذُهُ: «مِنْ أَيْنَ لَنَا فِي ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ خُبْزٌ بِهَذَا ٱلْمِقْدَارِ، حَتَّى يُشْبِعَ جَمْعًا هَذَا عَدَدُهُ؟».

We disciples said to him, “In this place where nobody lives, (we cannot possibly obtain enough food to feed such a large crowd!/how can we obtain a large enough amount of food to feed such a large crowd?) [RHQ]”

٣٤ 34 فَقَالَ لَهُمْ يَسُوعُ: «كَمْ عِنْدَكُمْ مِنَ ٱلْخُبْزِ؟». فَقَالُوا: «سَبْعَةٌ وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ صِغَارِ ٱلسَّمَكِ».

Jesus asked us, “How many small loaves do you have?” We said to him, “[We have] seven small loaves and a few [cooked] fish.”

٣٥ 35 فَأَمَرَ ٱلْجُمُوعَ أَنْ يَتَّكِئُوا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ،

He told the people to sit on the ground.

٣٦ 36 وَأَخَذَ ٱلسَّبْعَ خُبْزَاتٍ وَٱلسَّمَكَ، وَشَكَرَ وَكَسَّرَ وَأَعْطَى تَلَامِيذَهُ، وَٱلتَّلَامِيذُ أَعْطَوْا ٱلْجَمْعَ.

Then he took the seven small loaves and the fish. After he thanked [God for them], he broke them [into pieces], and he kept giving [them] to us. Then we [kept distributing] them to the crowd.

٣٧ 37 فَأَكَلَ ٱلْجَمِيعُ وَشَبِعُوا. ثُمَّ رَفَعُوا مَا فَضَلَ مِنَ ٱلْكِسَرِ سَبْعَةَ سِلَالٍ مَمْلُوءَةٍ،

[Because Jesus made the food multiply miraculously], all [those people] ate and had [plenty to] satisfy [them]. There were 4,000 men [who ate], but no [one counted] the women and the children [who also ate]. Then we [disciples] collected the pieces of food that were left over, and we filled seven large baskets [with them].

٣٨ 38 وَٱلْآكِلُونَ كَانُوا أَرْبَعَةَ آلَافِ رَجُلٍ مَا عَدَا ٱلنِّسَاءَ وَٱلْأَوْلَادَ.

٣٩ 39 ثُمَّ صَرَفَ ٱلْجُمُوعَ وَصَعِدَ إِلَى ٱلسَّفِينَةِ وَجَاءَ إِلَى تُخُومِ مَجْدَلَ.

After Jesus dismissed the crowd, he, [along with us], got in the boat, and we sailed [around the lake] to the region called Magadan.

Jesus Feeds the Multitudes