Matthew 15:14

Matthew 15:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

Context of Matthew 15:14

12Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” 13He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” 16“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them.

Matthew 15:14 word by word

ἄφετε αὐτούς· τυφλοί εἰσιν ὁδηγοί τυφλῶν. τυφλὸς δὲ τυφλὸν ἐὰν ὁδηγῇ, ἀμφότεροι εἰς βόθυνον πεσοῦνται.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Letἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: leaveG863
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• they beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• blindτυφλόςtuphlos · blindG5185
• leadersὁδηγόςhodēgos · guide/leaderG3595
• Andδέde · thenG1161
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• leadὁδηγέωhodēgeō · to guideG3594
• bothἀμφότεροςamphoteros · bothG297
• shall fallπίπτωpiptō petō · to collapseG4098
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the ditchβόθυνοςbothunos · pitG999

Cross-references for Matthew 15:14

• Hosea 4:17Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!
• 1 Timothy 6:5and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’
• Isaiah 9:16Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray.
• Isaiah 42:19Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one in covenant with me, blind like the servant of the Lord?
• Isaiah 56:10Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.
• Malachi 2:8But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty.
• Luke 6:39He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?
• Jeremiah 5:31The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?
• Jeremiah 6:15Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the Lord.
• Jeremiah 8:12Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when they are punished, says the Lord.
• Ezekiel 14:9“ ‘And if the prophet is enticed to utter a prophecy, I the Lord have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and destroy him from among my people Israel.
• Micah 3:6Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets, and the day will go dark for them.
• 2 Peter 2:1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
• Revelation 19:20But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
• Revelation 22:15Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Commentaries on Matthew 15:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Let them alone - , give them up, or leave them. These words have been sadly misunderstood. Some have quoted them to prove that blind and deceitful teachers should not be pointed out to the people, nor the people warned against them; and that men should abide in the communion of a corrupt Church, because that Church had once been the Church of God, and in it they had been brought up; and to prove this they bring Scripture, for, in our present translation…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10-14Verses 10-14 See also Mark 7:15-17. And he called the multitude - In opposition to the doctrines of the Pharisees, the Saviour took occasion to show them that the great source of pollution was the heart. They supposed that external things chiefly defiled a man. On this all their doctrines about purification were founded. This opinion of the Jews it was of great importance to correct. The Saviour took occasion, therefore, to direct the people to the true…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-20Verses 10-20 Christ shows that the defilement they ought to fear, was not from what entered their mouths as food, but from what came out of their mouths, which showed the wickedness of their hearts. Nothing will last in the soul but the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit; and nothing should be admitted into the church but what is from above; therefore, whoever is offended by a plain, seasonable declaration of the truth, we should not be troubled at…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-20Jesus accused the Pharisees of disobeying God's law because of their focus on preserving traditions.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch--Striking expression of the ruinous effects of erroneous teaching!Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 15:14

• Blindness
• Commandments
• Ecclesiasticism
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus, the Christ
• Minister, Christian
• Reprobacy
• Sin
• Teachers
• Tradition
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Blind
• Capernaum
• Commandment
• Continue
• Draught
• Fill
• Release
• Sin
• Teach
• Tradition

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