Matthew 15:8
New International Version
“’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

New Living Translation
‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

English Standard Version
“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

Berean Standard Bible
‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

Berean Literal Bible
This people honors Me with the lips, but their heart is kept far away from Me.

King James Bible
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

New King James Version
‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

New American Standard Bible
‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

NASB 1995
‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

NASB 1977
‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

Legacy Standard Bible
‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

Amplified Bible
‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

Christian Standard Bible
This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

American Standard Version
This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me.

Contemporary English Version
"All of you praise me with your words, but you never really think about me.

English Revised Version
This people honoureth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Good News Translation
'These people, says God, honor me with their words, but their heart is really far away from me.

International Standard Version
These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Majority Standard Bible
?These people draw near to Me with their mouths, and they honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

NET Bible
This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me,

New Heart English Bible
'These people honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Webster's Bible Translation
This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Weymouth New Testament
"'This is a People who honour Me with their lips, while their heart is far away from Me;

World English Bible
‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and with the lips it honors Me, but their heart is far off from Me;

Berean Literal Bible
This people honors Me with the lips, but their heart is kept far away from Me.

Young's Literal Translation
This people doth draw nigh to Me with their mouth, and with the lips it doth honour Me, but their heart is far off from Me;

Smith's Literal Translation
This people draw near me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips; but their heart keeps off far from me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
This people honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

New American Bible
‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me;

New Revised Standard Version
‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
'This people is honouring me with their lips but their heart is very far from me.'
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Godbey New Testament
This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Haweis New Testament
This people draweth nigh to me with their mouths, and honoureth me with the lips, but their heart is far distant from me.

Mace New Testament
"this people, says he, draw nigh to me, they honour me with their lips: while their hearts are far from me.

Weymouth New Testament
"'This is a People who honour Me with their lips, while their heart is far away from Me;

Worrell New Testament
'This people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

Worsley New Testament
saying, This people approach me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Tradition and Worship
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
Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.

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.

Ezekiel 33:31
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain.

Isaiah 1:11-15
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. / When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? / Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. ...

Jeremiah 12:2
You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their hearts.

Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Amos 5:21-23
“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. / Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. / Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.

Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? / Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? / He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Psalm 78:36-37
But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues. / Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.

Psalm 50:16-17
To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips? / For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.

Proverbs 26:23
Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.

Romans 2:28-29
A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. / No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

1 John 3:18
Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.

James 1:26
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.


Treasury of Scripture

This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

draweth.

Isaiah 29:13
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Ezekiel 33:31
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

John 1:47
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

but.

Proverbs 23:26
My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

Jeremiah 12:2
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

Acts 8:21
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

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Matthew 15
1. Jesus reproves the Scribes and Pharisees
7. for transgressing God's commandments through their own traditions;
10. teaches how that which goes into the mouth does not defile a man.
21. He heals the daughter of the woman of Canaan,
29. and other great multitudes;
32. and with seven loaves and a few small fish feeds four thousand men














These people honor Me with their lips
This phrase highlights the issue of superficial worship. In the context of Matthew 15, Jesus is addressing the Pharisees and scribes who prioritize human traditions over God's commandments. The reference to honoring with lips suggests a form of worship that is verbal and outward but lacks sincerity. This echoes Isaiah 29:13, where God criticizes Israel for similar behavior. The cultural context of the time placed significant emphasis on oral tradition and public displays of piety, which could easily become performative rather than heartfelt.

but their hearts are far from Me
The heart, in biblical terms, represents the center of one's being, including emotions, will, and intellect. This phrase indicates a disconnect between external actions and internal devotion. Historically, the heart was seen as the seat of genuine faith and commitment. Jesus emphasizes that true worship requires alignment of heart and action. This critique is consistent with other biblical teachings, such as in 1 Samuel 16:7, where God looks at the heart rather than outward appearances. The prophetic nature of this statement calls for a return to authentic worship, foreshadowing the new covenant where the law is written on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The speaker of this verse, addressing the Pharisees and scribes who were questioning Him about the traditions of the elders.

2. Pharisees and Scribes
Religious leaders of the time who were known for their strict adherence to Jewish law and traditions.

3. Isaiah
The prophet whose words Jesus quotes in this verse, originally found in Isaiah 29:13.

4. Disciples
Followers of Jesus who were present during this teaching and often received further explanation of His teachings.

5. Jerusalem
The central place of Jewish worship and the location where many of these religious debates took place.
Teaching Points
Authentic Worship
True worship is not just about external expressions but involves a sincere heart devoted to God.

Heart Condition
God values the condition of our hearts over our outward religious practices.

Hypocrisy Warning
We must guard against hypocrisy, ensuring our actions align with our professed beliefs.

Self-Examination
Regularly examine your heart and motives to ensure they align with God's will.

Tradition vs. Commandment
Evaluate whether traditions in your life align with God's commandments or distract from them.(8) This people draweth nigh unto me.--The quotation is given substantially from the Greek version of Isaiah. We have already seen in Matthew 13:14 how the Pharisees were taught to see their own likeness in the language of the prophet. Now the mirror is held up once more, and they are seen to have been anticipated in that very substitution of human for divine ordinances for which our Lord reproves them.

Verse 8. - The quotation is from the Septuagint Version, with a slight variation from the text at the end. The Hebrew also differs a little; but the general meaning is not affected. With their mouth. They use the prescribed forms of worship, guard with much care the letter of Scripture, observe its legal and ceremonial enactments, are strict in the practice of all outward formalities. But their heart. This is what the prophets so constantly object. Prayers, sacrifices, etc., are altogether unacceptable unless inspired by inward devotion, and accompanied by purity of heart.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
‘These
οὗτος (houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

people
λαὸς (laos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2992: Apparently a primary word; a people.

honor
τιμᾷ (tima)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5091: From timios; to prize, i.e. Fix a valuation upon; by implication, to revere.

Me
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

with their
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

lips,
χείλεσίν (cheilesin)
Noun - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5491: From a form of the same as chasma; a lip; figuratively, a margin.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

hearts
καρδία (kardia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2588: Prolonged from a primary kar; the heart, i.e. the thoughts or feelings; also the middle.

are far
ἀπέχει (apechei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 568: To have in full, be far, it is enough. From apo and echo; to have out, i.e. Receive in full; to keep away, i.e. Be distant.

from
ἀπ’ (ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

Me.
ἐμοῦ (emou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 15:8 These people draw near to me (Matt. Mat Mt)
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