New Living Translation
Matthew 15:26
26Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children 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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he answered, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw 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.”
Context of Matthew 15:26
24Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.” 25But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!” Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.” 27She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.” 28“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.
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“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.
- Mark 7:27Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
- Acts 22:21“But the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’”
- Romans 9:4They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises.
- Galatians 2:15“You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles.
- Ephesians 2:12In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope.
- Philippians 3:2Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved.
- Revelation 22:15Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.
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
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