Matthew 15:7
What does Matthew 15:7 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 15:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 15:7 means
Jesus directly labels the Pharisees as "hypocrites," a strong term meaning actors or pretenders. He then backs up this accusation by citing a prophecy from Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13). By calling them hypocrites and quoting prophecy, Jesus not only condemns their behavior but also demonstrates that their actions were foreseen and judged by God long ago. This divine confirmation of their spiritual state adds immense weight to Jesus's critique, showing their outward show of devotion was hollow.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
KJV
King James Version · 1611Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949You false ones, well did Isaiah say of you,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Hypocrites! well has Esaias prophesied about you, saying,
Context
After exposing the Pharisees' specific transgression in verses 5-6, Jesus intensifies His rebuke by verbally condemning them as hypocrites. This verse transitions from a logical argument about their practices to a direct prophetic indictment, setting the stage for the specific words of Isaiah to be presented as powerful evidence of their spiritual condition in the following verses.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Acts 28:25
And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers,
- Mark 7:6
And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me.
- Matthew 7:5
Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
- Matthew 23:23
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone.
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