Focused Passage

Matthew 15:32-39

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

32 Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint along the way.”

33 The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”

34 “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.”

35 And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground.

36 Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

37 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

38 A total of four thousand men were fed, besides women and children.

39 After Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 32

Original words

Then δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular called προσκαλεσάμενος G4341 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural disciples [to Him] μαθητὰς G3101 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural [and] said εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular I have compassion Σπλαγχνίζομαι G4697 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular for ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition [this] τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular crowd ὄχλον G3793 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they have already been προσμένουσίν G4357 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural . . . ἤδη G2235 Adverb with Me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular three τρεῖς G5140 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Plural days ἡμέραι G2250 Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction have ἔχουσιν G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural nothing οὐκ G3756 Adverb - τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular to eat φάγωσιν G5315 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb I do not want θέλω G2309 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular to send them away ἀπολῦσαι G630 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active . . . αὐτοὺς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural hungry νήστεις G3523 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural vvv μή‿ G3361 Adverb or ποτε G4219 Conjunction they may faint ἐκλυθῶσιν G1590 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Plural along ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular way ὁδῷ G3598 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Verse 33

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction The οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural disciples μαθηταί G3101 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural replied λέγουσιν G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural - αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Where Πόθεν G4159 Adverb in ἐν G1722 Preposition this desolate place ἐρημίᾳ G2047 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular could we [find] ἡμῖν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural enough τοσοῦτοι G5118 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural bread ἄρτοι G740 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv ὥστε G5620 Conjunction to feed χορτάσαι G5526 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active such a large τοσοῦτον G5118 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular crowd ὄχλον G3793 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 34

Original words

How many Πόσους G4214 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural loaves ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural do you have ἔχετε G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural - Καὶ G2532 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular asked λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural Seven Ἑπτά G2033 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - Οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural they replied εἶπαν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction a few ὀλίγα G3641 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural small fish ἰχθύδια G2485 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Verse 35

Original words

And Καὶ G2532 Conjunction He instructed παραγγείλας G3853 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular crowd ὄχλῳ G3793 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular to sit down ἀναπεσεῖν G377 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular ground γῆν G1093 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 36

Original words

Taking ἔλαβεν G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural loaves ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural fish ἰχθύας G2486 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction He gave thanks εὐχαριστήσας G2168 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular [and] broke [them] ἔκλασεν G2806 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Then καὶ G2532 Conjunction He gave [them] ἐδίδου G1325 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural [the] disciples μαθηταῖς G3101 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural and δὲ G1161 Conjunction the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural disciples μαθηταὶ G3101 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural [gave them] to the τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural people ὄχλοις G3793 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 37

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction They all πάντες G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural ate ἔφαγον G5315 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction were satisfied ἐχορτάσθησαν G5526 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [the disciples] picked up ἦραν G142 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural seven ἑπτὰ G2033 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural basketfuls σπυρίδας G4711 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural . . . πλήρεις G4134 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural of broken pieces κλασμάτων G2801 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural that τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular were left over περισσεῦον G4052 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular
Verse 38

Original words

A total of οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural . . . δὲ G1161 Conjunction four thousand τετρακισχίλιοι G5070 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural men ἄνδρες G435 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural were ἦσαν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural fed ἐσθίοντες G2068 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural besides χωρὶς G5565 Preposition women γυναικῶν G1135 Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction children παιδίων G3813 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Verse 39

Original words

After Καὶ G2532 Conjunction [Jesus] had dismissed ἀπολύσας G630 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural crowds ὄχλους G3793 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural He got into ἐνέβη G1684 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular boat πλοῖον G4143 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction went ἦλθεν G2064 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural region ὅρια G3725 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of Magadan Μαγαδάν G3093 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.