# Matthew 15.4

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-11-04 | updated: 2026-11-04 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 2. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3. And he answered and said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?</span>
>
> **4. For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death.**
>
> 5. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given to God; 6. he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. (Matthew 15:2-6, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 2. “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3. He answered them, <span class="rl-speech">“Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?</span>
>
> **4. <span class="rl-speech">For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’</span>**
>
> 5. <span class="rl-speech">But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,”</span> 6. <span class="rl-speech">he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.</span> (Matthew 15:2-6, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 2. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3. But he answered and said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?</span>
>
> **4. <span class="rl-speech">For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.</span>**
>
> 5. <span class="rl-speech">But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;</span> 6. <span class="rl-speech">And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.</span> (Matthew 15:2-6, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 2. 'Wherefore do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they may eat bread.' 3. And he answering said to them, <span class="rl-speech">'Wherefore also do ye transgress the command of God because of your tradition?</span>
>
> **4. <span class="rl-speech">for God did command, saying, Honour thy father and mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother, let him die the death;</span>**
>
> 5. <span class="rl-speech">but ye say, Whoever may say to father or mother, An offering [is] whatever thou mayest be profited by me;</span> 6. <span class="rl-speech">and he may not honour his father or his mother, and ye did set aside the command of God because of your tradition.</span> (Matthew 15:2-6, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- None of the words in this verse has its own lexicon entry yet.


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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Matthew 15 Kill Your Children Objection Defeater](/codex/matthew-15-kill-your-children-objection-defeater/)
- [Mosaic Law Binding for True Israelites Objection Defeater](/codex/mosaic-law-binding-for-true-israelites-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 15.1-20](/codex/matthew-15-1-20/)
- [Ritual Purity Laws Objection Defeater](/codex/ritual-purity-laws-objection-defeater/), via [Matthew 15.1-20](/codex/matthew-15-1-20/), [Matthew 15.1-9](/codex/matthew-15-1-9/)

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 15](/codex/matthew-15/)
- [Ritual Purity Laws Objection](/codex/ritual-purity-laws-objection/), via [Matthew 15.1-20](/codex/matthew-15-1-20/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.