English Standard Version
Matthew 15:26
26And he answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
Matthew 15:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
- New International Version (NIV)He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
Context of Matthew 15:26
24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." 27She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.
Read all of Matthew 15Matthew 15:26 word by word
Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· οὐκ ἔστιν καλὸν λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων καὶ βαλεῖν τοῖς κυναρίοις.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- he answeredἀποκρίνωapokrinomai · to answerG611
- and saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- It isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- meetκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
- to takeλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- the children’sτέκνονteknon · childG5043
- breadἄρτοςartos · breadG740
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- to castβάλλωballō · to throw: throwG906
- to dogsκυνάριονkunarion · little dogG2952
Cross-references for Matthew 15:26
- Matthew 7:6"Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
- Mark 7:27And he said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
- Acts 22:21And he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
- Romans 9:4They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
- Galatians 2:15We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;
- Ephesians 2:12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
- Philippians 3:2Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
- Revelation 22:15Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Commentaries on Matthew 15:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26The children's bread - The salvation provided for the Jews, who were termed the children of the kingdom. And cast it to the , little dogs - to the curs; such the Gentiles were reputed by the Jewish people, and our Lord uses that form of speech which was common among his countrymen. What terrible repulses! and yet she still perseveres!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21-28Verses 21-28 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…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-28Verses 21-28 The dark corners of the country, the most remote, shall share Christ's influences; afterwards the ends of the earth shall see his salvation. The distress and trouble of her family brought a woman to Christ; and though it is need that drives us to Christ, yet we shall not therefore be driven from him. She did not limit Christ to any particular instance of mercy, but mercy, mercy, is what she begged for: she pleads not merit, but depends upon…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26Jews often referred to pagans as dogs, which were considered ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 11:27). When Jesus spoke to the woman, he was speaking of her condition as a Gentile. She was seen as ceremonially unclean and separated from God (see Matthew 7:6).Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 15:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries