Matthew 15:7

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Matthew 15:7 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:

King James Version KJV

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

American Standard Version ASV

Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

Bible in Basic English BBE

You false ones, well did Isaiah say of you,

Free Bible Version FBV

You hypocrites! How well Isaiah described you when he prophesied:

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

O hypocrites, Esaias prophecied well of you, saying,

Young's Literal Translation YLT

'Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

World English Bible WEB

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

Noah Webster Bible WBS

Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

Hypocrites, well hath Isaias prophesied of you, saying:

Translation for Translators T4T

You only pretend to be good! Isaiah prophesied accurately about you also when he quoted what God said about your ancestors. God said,

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Berean Amplified Bible — Matthew 15:7

BAB

Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Matthew 15:7 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

GRK υποκριται καλως προεφητευσεν περι υμων ησαιας λεγων

υποκριται hupokritēs G5273 hypocrite Noun-VPM

καλως kalōs G2573 well Adv

προεφητευσεν prophēteuō G4395 to prophesy Verb-AAI-3S

περι peri G4012 about Prep

υμων su G4771 you Pron-2GP

ησαιας Hēsaias G2268 Isaiah Noun-NSM

λεγων legō G3004 to say Verb-PAP-NSM

Greek Word Study

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Greek Word Reference — Matthew 15:7

υποκριται hupokritēs G5273 "hypocrite" Noun-VPM

A hypocrite is someone who pretends to be something they are not, like in Matthew 6:2. It is about being insincere. In the Bible, Jesus warns against being a hypocrite, saying that people should be honest and genuine in their words and actions.

Definition: ὑπο-κριτής, -οῦ, ὁ (ὑποκρίνομαι, which see) [in LXX Job.34:30 36:13 (חָנֵף) * ;] __1. one who answers, an interpreter (Plat.). __2. a stage player, actor (Plut., Xen., al.). Metaphorical (in LXX and NT), a pretender, dissembler, hypocrite: Mat.6:2, 5 6:16 7:5 15:7 22:18 23:13-15 24:51, Mrk.7:6 Luk.6:42 12:56 13:15.† (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 20 NT verses. KJV: hypocrite See also: Luke 6:42; Matthew 16:3; Matthew 24:51.

καλως kalōs G2573 "well" Adv

To do something kalos means to do it well or rightly, as in Luke 6:48 and 1 Corinthians 14:17, often with a moral tone.

Definition: καλῶς adv. (καλός), [in LXX for parts and derivatives of יָטַב ;] finely, rightly, well: Luk.6:48, 1Co.14:17, Gal.4:17 5:7, Jas.2:3; λέγειν, λαλεῖν, etc., Mat.15:7, Mrk.7:6 12:28, Luk.6:26 20:39, Jhn.4:17 8:48 13:13 18:23, Act.28:25; as exclamation of approval, Mrk.12:32, Rom.11:20; κ. ποιεῖν, Mat.12:12, 1Co.7:37-38 Jas.2:8, 19; with dative of person(s) (cl. accusative; WM, § 32, 1 β), Luk.6:27; with accusative of thing(s), Mrk.7:37; with ptcp., Act.10:33 (M, Pr., 131), Php.4:14, 2Pe.1:19, 3Jn.6; προϊστάναι (-ασθαι), 1Ti.3:4 3:12 5:17; διακονεῖν, 1Ti.3:13; ἀνατρέφεσθαι, Heb.13:18; ironically, Mrk.7:9, 2Co.11:4 (but see CGT, in l); κ. ἔχειν, to be well: Mrk.16:18. Compar., κάλλιον (for superl., B1., § 44, 3), very well: Act.25:10.† (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 36 NT verses. KJV: (in a) good (place), honestly, + recover, (full) well See also: 1 Corinthians 7:37; John 4:17; Hebrews 13:18.

προεφητευσεν prophēteuō G4395 "to prophesy" Verb-AAI-3S

To prophesy means to speak under inspiration from God, as seen in Matthew 7:22 and Mark 14:65. It involves telling forth God's counsels or foretelling events.

Definition: προφητεύω (προφήτης), [in LXX chiefly for נָבָא ni., hith. ;] to be a προφήτης (which see), to prophesy: in the primary sense of telling forth the Divine counsels, Mat.7:22 26:68, Mrk.14:65, Luk.1:67 22:64, Act.19:6, 1Co.11:4-5 13:9 14:1 14:3-5 14:24 14:31 14:39, Heb.11:3; with the idea of foretelling future events (an idea merely incidental, not essential; see Lft., Notes, 83 f.), Mat.11:13, Act.2:17-18" (LXX) Act.21:9; before περί, Mat.15:7, Mrk.7:6, 1Pe.1:10; ἐπί, with dative, Rev.10:11; λέγων, Ju 14; ὅτι, Jhn.11:51.† SYN.: μαντεύομαι, q.v (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 27 NT verses. KJV: prophesy See also: 1 Corinthians 11:4; Acts 19:6; 1 Peter 1:10.

περι peri G4012 "about" Prep

The Greek word for about or around, used in various contexts such as place, cause, or time. It is often translated as 'about' or 'concerning' in the KJV, and appears in many passages, including Matthew 2:8 and John 16:26.

Definition: περί, prep. with genitive, accusative (in cl. also with dative; cf. M, Pr., 105f.), with radical sense round about (as distinct from ἀμφί, on both sides). __I. C. genitive, __1. of place, about (poët.). __2. Causal, about, on account of, concerning, in reference to: Mat.2:8, Mrk.1:44, Luk.4:38, Jhn.16:26, Act.28:21, al. mult.; τὰ περί, with genitive, the things concerning one, one's state or case: Mrk.5:27, Act.1:3 28:15, Eph.6:22, al.; at the beginning of a sentence, περί, regarding, as to, 1Co.7:1, al.; in the sense on account of (Mat.26:28, 1Co.1:13, al.), often with ὑπέρ as variant (cf. M, Pr., 105). __II. C. accusative, __1. of place, about, around: Mat.3:4, Mrk.1:6, Luk.13:8, Act.22:6, al.; οἱ περί, with accusative of person(s), of one's associates, friends, etc., Mrk.4:10, Luk.22:49, Jhn.11:19, Act.13:13; οἱ περὶ τ. τοιαῦτα ἐργάται, Act.19:25; metaphorically, about, as to, concerning: 1Ti.1:19 6:4 2Ti.2:18 3:8, Tit.2:7; τὰ περὶ ἐμέ, Php.2:23; αἱ περὶ τ. λοιπὰ ἐπιθυμίαι, Mrk.4:19. __2. Of time, in a loose reckoning, about, near: Mat.20:3, 5 6, 9 27:46, Mrk.6:48, Act.10:3, 9 22:6. __III. In composition: round about (περιβάλλω, περίκειμαι), beyond, over and above (περιποιέω, περιλείπω), to excess (περιεργάζομαι, περισσεύω). (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 305 NT verses. KJV: (there-)about, above, against, at, on behalf of, X and his company, which concern, (as) concerning, for, X how it will go with, ((there-, where-)) of, on, over, pertaining (to), for sake, X (e-)state, (as) touching, (where-)by (in), with See also: 1 Corinthians 1:4; Acts 26:2; 1 Peter 1:10.

υμων su G4771 "you" Pron-2GP

This Greek word means 'you' and is used to address someone directly, like in John 1:30 and Matthew 26:64. It's a way to emphasize or contrast the person being spoken to. The KJV Bible translates it as 'thou'.

Definition: σύ, pron. of 2nd of person(s), thou, you, genitive, σοῦ, dative, σοί, accusative, σέ, pl., ὑμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς (enclitic in oblique cases sing., except after prep. (BL, §48, 3), though πρὸς σέ occurs in Mat.25:39). Nom. for emphasis or contrast: Jhn.1:30, 4:10, 5:33, 39, 44, Act.4:7, Eph.5:32; so also perhaps σὺ εἶπας, Mat.26:64, al. (M, Pr., 86); before voc., Mat.2:6, Luk.1:76, Jhn.17:5, al.; sometimes without emphasis (M, Pr., 85f.), as also in cl., but esp. as rendering of Heb. phrase, e.g. υἱός μου εἶ σύ (בְּנִי־אַתָּה, Psa.2:7), Act.13:33. The genitive (σοῦ, ὑμῶν) is sometimes placed bef. the noun: Luk.7:48, 12:30, al.; so also the enclitic σοῦ, Mat.9:6; on τί ἐμοὶ κ. σοί, see: ἐγώ. (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 2041 NT verses. KJV: thou See also: 1 Corinthians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 1:2.

ησαιας Hēsaias G2268 "Isaiah" Noun-NSM

Isaiah was a prophet in the Bible, mentioned in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. He wrote about God's plan for Israel. Isaiah's words are quoted by Jesus and the apostles.

Definition: Ἠσαίας (Rec. Ἠσαΐας), -ου, ο (Heb. יְשַׁעְיָה), Isaiah, the prophet: Mat.3:3 4:14 8:17 12:17 13:14, 35 15:7, Mrk.7:6, Luk.3:4 4:17, Jhn.1:23 12:38-39, 41, Act.8:28 28:25, Rom.9:27, 29 10:16, 20 15:12; ἀνεγίνωςκεν τ. προφήτην Ἠ., Act.8:30; ἐν τ. Ἠ., Mrk.1:2.† (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 21 NT verses. KJV: Esaias See also: Acts 8:28; Matthew 3:3; Romans 9:27.

λεγων legō G3004 "to say" Verb-PAP-NSM

This word means to say or speak, and it is used by Jesus and others in the New Testament to share teachings and tell stories. It appears in Matthew 9:34 and John 1:29.

Definition: λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Gen.22:16, al. ;] __1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount. __2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Act.13:15, 24:10; before orat. dir., Mat.9:34, Mrk.3:11, Jhn.1:29, al.; before ὅτι recit., Mrk.3:21, Luk.1:24, Jhn.6:14, al.; accusative and inf., Luk.11:18, Jhn.12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mat.11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mat.25:9, Mrk.3:33, 7:28, Luk.24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, al.; of writing, 2Co.8:8, Php.4:11, al.; λέγει ἡ γραφή, Rom.4:3, Jas.2:23, al.; with accusative of thing(s), Luk.8:8, 9:33, Jhn.5:34, al.; σὺ λέγεις (a non-committal phrase; Swete, Mk., 359, 369f.), Mat.27:11, Mrk.15:2, Luk.23:3, Jhn.18:37; with dative of person(s), before orat. dir., Mat.8:20, Mrk.2:17, al. mult.; id. before ὅτι, Mat.3:9, al.; with prep., πρός, μετά, περί, etc., Mrk.4:41, Jhn.11:56, Heb.9:5, al.; to mean (cl.), Mrk.14:71, Jhn.6:71, 1Co.10:29, al.; to call, name, Mrk.10:18; pass., Mat.9:9, Mrk.15:7, al (cf. ἀντι-, δια- (-μαι), προ-, συλ-λέγω). SYN.: λαλέω, which refers to the utterance, as λέγω to the meaning of what is said, its correspondence with thought (Tr., Syn., Ixxvi; Thayer, see word λαλέω). (AS)

Usage: Occurs in 1988 NT verses. KJV: ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter See also: 1 Corinthians 1:10; Acts 6:2; Acts 19:3.

Study Notes — Matthew 15:7

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Matthew 15:7 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Matthew 15:7
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 15:7
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Matthew 15:7
Trapp's Commentary on Matthew 15:7
Ellicott's Commentary on Matthew 15:7
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Matthew 15:7
Cambridge Bible on Matthew 15:7
Whedon's Commentary on Matthew 15:7
Sermons on Matthew 15:7

Context — The Tradition of the Elders

5But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ 6he need not honor his father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

7You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:

8‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ ”

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	Mark 7:6	Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.
2	Matthew 23:23–29	Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.
3	Acts 28:25–27	They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
4	Matthew 7:5	You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Matthew 15:7 Summary

[Jesus calls the people hypocrites because they say they follow God's laws, but their actions show they don't really care about what God says, similar to what He says in Matthew 23:3. This is like when we say we love God, but our actions don't show it, as seen in James 2:14-17. We need to make sure our hearts and actions match what we say we believe, as encouraged in Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus wants us to be sincere and obey God's commands, like honoring our parents, as seen in Exodus 20:12 and Ephesians 6:1-3.]

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Jesus mean by calling the people hypocrites in Matthew 15:7?

Jesus is accusing them of saying one thing but doing another, similar to what He says in Matthew 23:3, where they teach God's laws but do not practice them themselves, as also seen in the book of Isaiah 29:13.

How does Isaiah's prophecy relate to the people in Matthew 15:7?

Isaiah's prophecy, as quoted in the following verses, Matthew 15:8-9, speaks of people who honor God with their lips but have hearts far from Him, indicating a disconnect between their outward actions and inward devotion, much like the Israelites in Isaiah 1:11-17.

Is Jesus saying that all traditions are bad in Matthew 15:7?

No, Jesus is specifically criticizing the tradition that nullifies God's command to honor one's father and mother, as seen in Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16, highlighting the importance of prioritizing God's commands over human traditions.

What can we learn from Jesus' rebuke of the hypocrites in Matthew 15:7?

We learn that God values sincerity and obedience over outward appearances, as seen in 1 Samuel 16:7, and that we should examine our own hearts and actions to ensure they align with God's teachings, as encouraged in Psalm 51:10 and Psalm 139:23-24.

Reflection Questions

In what ways might I be a hypocrite, saying one thing but doing another, and how can I align my actions with my words?
How can I ensure that my heart is close to God, rather than just honoring Him with my lips, as Isaiah 29:13 warns against?
What traditions or practices in my life might be nullifying God's commands, and how can I prioritize His teachings?
What does it mean to worship God 'in vain' as mentioned in the quote from Isaiah in the following verse, and how can I avoid this in my own worship?

Gill's Exposition on Matthew 15:7

Ye hypocrites,.... After our Lord had given so full a proof of their making void the commandments of God by their traditions, he might very justly, as he does, call them hypocrites; who pretended to

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 15:7

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying (Isaiah 29:13).

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Matthew 15:7

See Poole on "".

Trapp's Commentary on Matthew 15:7

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, Ver. 7. Well did Esaias prophesy of you] Of such as you, and so of you too. The prophets and apostles then spake not of them only with whom they lived, and to whom they wrote (as the Jesuits blaspheme), but their oracles and doctrines do extend still to men of the same stamp and making. "In the volume of thy book it is written of me," saith David, Psalms 40:7; he found his own name in God’ s book. And where he spake with Jacob at Bethel, there he spake with us, saith Hosea; and, "Whatsoever was written, was written for our learning," saith Paul, Romans 15:4.

Ellicott's Commentary on Matthew 15:7

(7) Ye hypocrites.—See Note on Matthew 7:5.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Matthew 15:7

Verse 7. Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you] In every place where the proper names of the Old Testament occur, in the New, the same mode of orthography should be followed: I therefore write Isaiah with the Hebrew, not Esaias, with the Greek. This prophecy is found Isaiah 29:13. Our blessed Lord unmasks these hypocrites; and we may observe that, when a hypocrite is found out, he should be exposed to all; this may lead to his salvation: if he be permitted to retain his falsely acquired character, how can he escape perdition!

Cambridge Bible on Matthew 15:7

7. well did Esaias prophesy] A common Jewish formula for quoting a saying of the prophets.

Whedon's Commentary on Matthew 15:7

7. Ye hypocrites — For fabricating a religion without morality. Prophesy of you — Isaiah, by inspiration, describing such characters as yours beforehand.

Sermons on Matthew 15:7

	Sermon	Description
	Trendists or Transformist by Vance Havner	In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of Christians marching to the beat of a different drummer and not conforming to the ways of the world. He shares a personal e
	Vanity, or Spirit and Truth? by Chip Brogden	In this sermon, the speaker expresses his frustration with the traditional practices of the church and emphasizes the need for a genuine relationship with Jesus. He references the
	Distraction in the Holy Place by David Wilkerson	In this sermon, the preacher begins by quoting Isaiah's prophecy about hypocrites who draw near to God with their mouths but have hearts far from Him. He emphasizes the importance
	(Worship) Session 3: A True Heart by Joseph Carroll	Joseph Carroll emphasizes the necessity of approaching God with a true heart, highlighting that true worship is not merely a matter of words but a heartfelt commitment to God. He i
	Brokenness by Mark Partin	Mark Partin preaches on the importance of brokenness and humility in rekindling our 'first love' for Jesus Christ, emphasizing the need to reconcile broken relationships and rebuil
	Distractions in the Holy Place by David Wilkerson	David Wilkerson addresses the issue of mental distractions during prayer and worship, emphasizing that many come to church with their bodies but leave their hearts and minds elsewh
	Not for the Better! by Chip Brogden	Chip Brogden emphasizes the importance of Jesus' presence in small gatherings, stating that where two or three are gathered in His name, He is in their midst, regardless of the loc