Matthew 15:4
New International Version
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’

New Living Translation
For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’

English Standard Version
For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’

Berean Standard Bible
For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

Berean Literal Bible
For God commanded, 'Honor the Father and mother' and, 'The one speaking evil of father or mother, in death must end!'

King James Bible
For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

New King James Version
For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

New American Standard Bible
For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘THE ONE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’

NASB 1995
“For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’

NASB 1977
“For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, LET HIM BE PUT TO DEATH.’

Legacy Standard Bible
For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’

Amplified Bible
For God said [through Moses], ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF or INSULTS or TREATS IMPROPERLY FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’

Christian Standard Bible
For God said: Honor your father and your mother; and, Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For God said: Honor your father and your mother; and, The one who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.

American Standard Version
For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death.

Contemporary English Version
Didn't God command you to respect your father and mother? Didn't he tell you to put to death all who curse their parents?

English Revised Version
For God said, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
For example, God said, 'Honor your father and your mother' and 'Whoever curses father or mother must be put to death.'

Good News Translation
For God said, 'Respect your father and your mother,' and 'If you curse your father or your mother, you are to be put to death.'

International Standard Version
Because God said, 'You are to honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.'

Majority Standard Bible
For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

NET Bible
For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.'

New Heart English Bible
For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'

Webster's Bible Translation
For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Weymouth New Testament
For God said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother'; and 'Let him who reviles father or mother be certainly put to death';

World English Bible
For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother—let him die the death;

Berean Literal Bible
For God commanded, 'Honor the Father and mother' and, 'The one speaking evil of father or mother, in death must end!'

Young's Literal Translation
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;

Smith's Literal Translation
For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, he calumniating father or mother, in death let him die.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Honour thy father and mother: And: He that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death.

Catholic Public Domain Version
‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Whoever will have cursed father or mother shall die a death.’

New American Bible
For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’

New Revised Standard Version
For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For God said, Honor your father and your mother, and whoever curses his father and his mother, let him be put to death.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“For God has said, 'Honour your father and your mother,' and 'Whoever reviles his father and his mother shall surely die.'”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and your mother; and, He that curses father or mother shall surely be put to death.

Godbey New Testament
For God commanded saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die with death.

Haweis New Testament
For God commanded, saying ?Honour thy father and thy mother:? and, He that curseth father or mother, let him surely die.

Mace New Testament
for this is a commandment of God, "honour thy father and mother; and, he that curses father or mother, let him be punish'd with death."

Weymouth New Testament
For God said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother'; and 'Let him who reviles father or mother be certainly put to death';

Worrell New Testament
For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die,'

Worsley New Testament
For God commanded saying, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, He that revileth father or mother, let him be put to death:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Tradition and Worship
3Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 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,’…

Cross References
Exodus 20:12
Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 5:16
Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Ephesians 6:2-3
“Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with a promise), / “that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life on the earth.”

Mark 7:10
For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

Leviticus 20:9
If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.

Proverbs 20:20
Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.

Exodus 21:17
Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.

Deuteronomy 27:16
‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’

Proverbs 30:17
As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.

Colossians 3:20
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

Matthew 19:19
honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Luke 18:20
You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.’”

Romans 13:9
The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

1 Timothy 5:4
But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

1 Timothy 5:8
If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.


Treasury of Scripture

For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother: and, He that curses father or mother, let him die the death.

God.

Matthew 4:10
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Matthew 5:17-19
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil…

Isaiah 8:20
To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Honour.

Matthew 19:19
Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Leviticus 19:3
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

He.

Exodus 21:17
And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.

Leviticus 20:9
For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

Deuteronomy 21:18-21
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: …

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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














For God said
This phrase emphasizes the divine authority behind the commandment. The Greek word for "said" is "εἶπεν" (eipen), which is often used in the New Testament to denote a direct statement from God, underscoring the weight and unchangeable nature of His words. In a historical context, this reflects the Jewish understanding of the Torah as the direct revelation from God, which Jesus affirms here.

Honor your father and mother
The word "honor" comes from the Greek "τίμα" (tima), which means to value, respect, or revere. This commandment, originally found in Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16, is foundational in Jewish and Christian ethics. It signifies not just obedience but a deep-seated respect and care for one's parents, reflecting the family structure ordained by God. Archaeological findings, such as ancient family records and household codes, show that honoring parents was a common expectation in ancient Near Eastern cultures, but the biblical command elevates it to a divine mandate.

Anyone who curses his father or mother
The term "curses" is translated from the Greek "κακολογῶν" (kakologon), which means to speak evil of or to revile. This phrase highlights the severity of disrespecting one's parents, which was considered a grave sin in ancient Israelite society. The historical context reveals that family was the central unit of society, and maintaining its honor was crucial for communal stability. The scriptural context, found in Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9, shows that this command was part of the Mosaic Law, emphasizing the seriousness with which God views familial relationships.

must be put to death
This phrase reflects the judicial aspect of the Mosaic Law, where certain offenses were punishable by death. The Greek "θανάτῳ τελευτάτω" (thanatō teleutatō) indicates a legal requirement, underscoring the gravity of the offense. In a historical context, such severe penalties were intended to deter behavior that could disrupt the social order. From a conservative Christian perspective, while the New Testament era does not enforce these penalties, the underlying principle of respecting and valuing family remains vital. This phrase serves as a sobering reminder of the holiness and justice of God, and the high standards He sets for His people.

(4) God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and thy mother.--At first it might seem as if our Lord Himself, no less than the Pharisees, had taught men to think lightly of the commandment on which He now lays stress. He had called on men to forsake father and mother for the sake of the gospel (Matthew 4:18; Matthew 4:22), and had excluded from discipleship those who loved father and mother more than they loved Him (Matthew 10:37). We need not close our eyes to the difficulty which thus presents itself. But the answer is not far to seek. In our Lord's teaching, a lower, natural duty was to give way exceptionally to a higher and supernatural one; otherwise it remained in full force. In that of the Pharisees the natural duty, enforced by a direct divine commandment, was made to give way to one which was purely human, arbitrary, and conventional. The two cases were not only not analogous, but stood on an entirely different footing.

Verse 4. - Christ proceeds to give an instance of the evacuation of the Law by means of tradition. God commanded. Mark, in the parallel passage, has, "Moses said," which may be taken, in conjunction with our text, as conveying our Lord's testimony to the Divine origin of the Mosaic code. Christ cites the fifth commandment, because it more especially appealed to the conscience of every one, and was emphasized by the solemn enactment of death as the penalty of its infringement (Exodus 20:12; Exodus 21:17). Honour (τίμα). This term includes the idea of succor and support, as in 1 Timothy 5:3, "Honour widows that are widows indeed;" and in 1 Timothy 5:17, where τιμὴ means "stipend." In Ecclus. 38:1, "Honour a physician with the honours due unto him," the expression has reference to his proper fees, the honorarium paid for his services. In God's view honour to parents is not shown only in outward salutations, obedience, and respect, but also in material assistance, help provided for their needs, alms freely bestowed when necessary. This well known signification makes the tradition next given more inexcusable. Die the death. An Hebraism, equivalent to "shall surely be put to death" (comp. Genesis 2:17, margin). If words against parents are thus punished, shall not deeds be visited?

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

said:
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

‘Honor
Τίμα (Tima)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 5091: From timios; to prize, i.e. Fix a valuation upon; by implication, to revere.

[your]
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

father
πατέρα (patera)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

mother’
μητέρα (mētera)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3384: A mother. Apparently a primary word; a 'mother'.

and
καί (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

‘Anyone who
(Ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

curses
κακολογῶν (kakologōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2551: To speak evil of, curse, revile, abuse. From a compound of kakos and logos; to revile.

[his] father
πατέρα (patera)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

or
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

mother
μητέρα (mētera)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3384: A mother. Apparently a primary word; a 'mother'.

must be put to death.’
τελευτάτω (teleutatō)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5053: To end, finish, die, complete. From a presumed derivative of teleo; to finish life, i.e. Expire.


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