Matthew 15:4

Matthew 15:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’
• New Living Translation (NLT)For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’

Context of Matthew 15:4

2“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!” 3Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 5But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ 6they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

Matthew 15:4 word by word

ὁ γὰρ θεὸς εἶπεν τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καὶ ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• commandedἐντέλλωentellomai · to orderG1781
• sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Honourτιμάωtimaō · to honorG5091
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• motherμήτηρmētēr · motherG3384
• He that cursethκακολογέωkakologeō · to curse/revileG2551
• orἤē · orG2228
• let him dieτελευτάωteleutaō · to deceaseG5053
• the deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288

Cross-references for Matthew 15:4

• Matthew 4:10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
• Matthew 5:17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
• Isaiah 8:20Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
• Romans 3:31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
• Matthew 19:19honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
• Exodus 20:12“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
• Leviticus 19:3“ ‘Each of you must respect your mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God.
• Deuteronomy 5:16“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
• Proverbs 23:22Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
• Ephesians 6:1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
• Exodus 21:17“Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.
• Leviticus 20:9“ ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.
• Deuteronomy 21:18If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him,
• Deuteronomy 27:16“Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
• Proverbs 20:20If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.
• Proverbs 30:17“The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.

Commentaries on Matthew 15:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Honor thy father and mother - This word was taken in great latitude of meaning among the Jews: it not only meant respect and submission, but also to take care of a person, to nourish and support him, to enrich. See Numbers 22:17; Judges 13:17; 1 Timothy 5:17. And that this was the sense of the law, as it respected parents, see Deuteronomy 27:16, and see the note on Exodus 20:12.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-9Verses 1-9 See also Mark 7:1-9. Then came to Jesus … - Mark says that they saw the disciples of Jesus eating with unwashed hands. Matthew 15:2 Transgress the tradition of the elders - The world “elders” literally means “old men.” Here it means the “ancients,” or their “ancestors.” The “tradition of the elders” meant something handed down from one to another by memory; some precept or custom not commanded in the written law, but which scribes and Pharisees…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. 44. For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother--(De 5:16). and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death--(Ex 21:17).Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 15:4

• Children
• Commandments
• Ecclesiasticism
• Hypocrisy
• Jesus, the Christ
• Mother
• Pharisees
• Quotations and Allusions
• Sin
• Teachers
• Tradition

In the dictionaries

• God
• Capernaum
• Commandment
• Continue
• Draught
• Fill
• Pharisees
• Release
• Sin
• Teach

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