21And going out from there, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. [15:22] And look — a Canaanite woman from that territory came out and cried out, saying: Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon. [15:23] But Jesus did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and were asking him, saying: Send her away, for she keeps crying out behind us. [15:24] But he answered and said: I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [15:25] But she came and knelt before him, saying: Lord, help me. [15:26] And he answered and said: It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. [15:27] But she said: Yes, Lord — yet even the little dogs eat from the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. [15:28] Then Jesus answered and said to her: Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that hour.
MAT 15:21-28
The Faith of the Canaanite Woman
In the world it was spoken into
In the first-century Mediterranean world, Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities outside Jewish territory, known for their pagan practices and historical enmity with Israel. The term 'Canaanite' evoked deep cultural and religious divisions, recalling Israel’s ancient adversaries. For Jesus’ Jewish audience, this woman’s ethnicity marked her as unclean and outside God’s covenant. Her addressing Jesus as 'Lord, Son of David' was audacious, invoking a messianic title tied to Jewish hope. Jesus’ initial silence and his statement about being sent only to 'the lost sheep of Israel' reflected the Jewish expectation of a Messiah for Israel, not Gentiles. The woman’s persistence and humility, accepting the metaphor of 'little dogs' , a term softened to suggest household pets rather than wild scavengers, demonstrated her recognition of Jesus’ authority and her willingness to accept a subordinate place. Her faith, acknowledged by Jesus, challenged ethnic and religious boundaries, hinting at the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s redemptive plan.
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How other translations render this
MAT 15:21
- KJV
- Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
- BSB
- Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.
- Koinōnos
- And going out from there, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
MAT 15:22
- KJV
- And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
- BSB
- And a Canaanite woman from that region came to Him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is miserably possessed by a demon.”
- Koinōnos
- And look — a Canaanite woman from that territory came out and cried out, saying: Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon.
MAT 15:23
- KJV
- But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
- BSB
- But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
- Koinōnos
- But Jesus did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and were asking him, saying: Send her away, for she keeps crying out behind us.
MAT 15:24
- KJV
- But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
- BSB
- He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
- Koinōnos
- But he answered and said: I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
MAT 15:25
- KJV
- Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
- BSB
- The woman came and knelt before Him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
- Koinōnos
- But she came and knelt before him, saying: Lord, help me.
MAT 15:26
- KJV
- But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
- BSB
- But Jesus replied, “It is not right to take the childrenʼs bread and toss it to the dogs.”
- Koinōnos
- And he answered and said: It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs.
MAT 15:27
- KJV
- And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
- BSB
- “Yes, Lord,” she said, “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masterʼs table.”
- Koinōnos
- But she said: Yes, Lord — yet even the little dogs eat from the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.
MAT 15:28
- KJV
- Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
- BSB
- “O woman,” Jesus answered, “your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
- Koinōnos
- Then Jesus answered and said to her: Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that hour.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 15:22
- Canaanite:The term 'Canaanite' here identifies the woman as a non-Israelite, specifically from a people group historically opposed to Israel, highlighting her outsider status in this context.
- me,:The word translated 'Lord' here is a respectful address, acknowledging authority or high status, but not necessarily implying divine worship in every instance.
MAT 15:26
- dogs.:The word translated 'dogs' is a diminutive form, meaning 'little dogs' or 'house pets,' softening the imagery compared to wild, scavenging dogs.
MAT 15:28
- woman,:The word translated 'woman' is a common and respectful term for a female, not carrying any negative or demeaning connotations in this context.