Focused Passage

Matthew 15:21-28

Tradition, the Heart, Gentile Faith, and the Compassionate Bread of the Messiah

Matthew moves from Jerusalem leaders accusing Jesus’ disciples, to Jesus accusing them of nullifying God’s command, to Jesus teaching the crowds about heart defilement, to private explanation for the disciples, to the Canaanite woman’s persistent faith, to widespread healing and praise to the God of Israel, to the feeding of four thousand, and finally to Jesus’ departure to Magadan.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.”

23 But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said.

26 But Jesus replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”

28 “O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 21

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction Leaving ἐξελθὼν G1831 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular that place ἐκεῖθεν G1564 Adverb - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular withdrew ἀνεχώρησεν G402 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural district μέρη G3313 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of Tyre Τύρου G5184 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Sidon Σιδῶνος G4605 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 22

Original words

And καὶ G2532 Conjunction . . . ἰδοὺ G2400 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular a Canaanite Χαναναία G5478 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular woman γυνὴ G1135 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition vvv τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural that ἐκείνων G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Plural region ὁρίων G3725 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural came [to Him] ἐξελθοῦσα G1831 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular crying out ἔκραζεν G2896 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - λέγουσα G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular Lord Κύριε G2962 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular Son υἱὸς G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of David Δαυίδ G1138 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular have mercy on Ἐλέησόν G1653 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular me με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular daughter θυγάτηρ G2364 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular {is} miserably κακῶς G2560 Adverb possessed by a demon δαιμονίζεται G1139 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 23

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb [Jesus] did not answer ἀπεκρίθη G611 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular a word λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular - αὐτῇ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular So καὶ G2532 Conjunction His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural disciples μαθηταὶ G3101 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural came προσελθόντες G4334 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural [and] urged ἠρώτουν G2065 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular - λέγοντες G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Send her away Ἀπόλυσον G630 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular . . . αὐτήν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular for ὅτι G3754 Conjunction she keeps crying out κράζει G2896 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular after ὄπισθεν G3693 Preposition us ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Verse 24

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular He answered ἀποκριθεὶς G611 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular . . . εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular vvv Οὐκ G3756 Adverb I was sent ἀπεστάλην G649 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Singular only εἰ G1487 Conjunction . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural lost ἀπολωλότα G622 Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Plural sheep πρόβατα G4263 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of [the] house οἴκου G3624 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular of Israel Ἰσραήλ G2474 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 25

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular [The woman] came ἐλθοῦσα G2064 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular [and] knelt before προσεκύνει G4352 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Lord Κύριε G2962 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular help βοήθει G997 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular she said λέγουσα G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular
Verse 26

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular [Jesus] replied ἀποκριθεὶς G611 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular - εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular It is ἔστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular not Οὐκ G3756 Adverb right καλὸν G2570 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular to take λαβεῖν G2983 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural children’s τέκνων G5043 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural bread ἄρτον G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction toss [it] βαλεῖν G906 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active to the τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Plural dogs κυναρίοις G2952 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural
Verse 27

Original words

Yes Ναί G3483 Particle Lord κύριε G2962 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular she said εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - γὰρ G1063 Conjunction even καὶ G2532 Conjunction the τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural dogs κυνάρια G2952 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural eat ἐσθίει G2068 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - ἀπὸ G575 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural crumbs ψιχίων G5589 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural that fall πιπτόντων G4098 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Neuter Plural from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural master’s κυρίων G2962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular table τραπέζης G5132 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or puppies
Verse 28

Original words

O G5599 Interjection woman γύναι G1135 Noun - Vocative Feminine Singular - Τότε G5119 Adverb - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular answered ἀποκριθεὶς G611 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular . . . εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . αὐτῇ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular your σου G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular faith πίστις G4102 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular is great μεγάλη G3173 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular Let it be done γενηθήτω G1096 Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 3rd Person Singular for you σοι G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular as ὡς G5613 Adverb you desire θέλεις G2309 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular And καὶ G2532 Conjunction her αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular daughter θυγάτηρ G2364 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular was healed ἰάθη G2390 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition that τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular very ἐκείνης G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular hour ὥρας G5610 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.