Matthew 15 · Verse 14

Matthew 15:14

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Matthew 15:14, King James Version

Matthew 15:14 in other translations

BSB	Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
WEB	Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. If the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
ASV	Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.
YLT	let them alone, guides they are--blind of blind; and if blind may guide blind, both into a ditch shall fall.'
DARBY	Leave them alone; they are blind leaders of blind: but if blind lead blind, both will fall into a ditch.
BBE	Let them be: they are blind guides. And if a blind man is guiding a blind man, the two will go falling into a hole together.
Webster	Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leadeth the blind, both will fall into the ditch.

What does Matthew 15:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

14. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch--Striking expression of the ruinous effects of erroneous teaching!

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 14. Let them alone. That is, do not be troubled at their rage. Be not anxious about it. The thing was to be expected. They were blind; they were in some respects sincere. They are greatly attached to their traditions, and you are not to wonder or interfere when they are indignant. They lead also the blind. They have a vast influence over the multitude, and it is to be expected that they will be enraged at any doctrines that go to lessen their authority or influence. By commanding them to let them alone, he does not mean to suffer them to remain in error, without any attempt to refute or correct them--for this he was doing then; but he meant to charge his disciples not to mind them, or to regard their opposition. It was to be expected.

If the blind lead the blind, etc. This was a plain proposition. A blind man, attempting to conduct blind men, would fall into every ditch that was in the way. So with religious teachers. If these Pharisees, themselves ignorant and blind, should be suffered to lead the ignorant multitude, both would be destroyed. This was another reason for confuting their errors, or for rooting up the plants which God had not planted. He wished, by doing it, to save the deluded multitude.

God often suffers one man to lead many to ruin. A rich and profligate man, an infidel, a man of learning, a politician, or a teacher, is allowed to sweep multitudes to ruin. This is not unjust, for those who are led are not compelled to follow such men. They are free in choosing such leaders, and they are answerable for being led to ruin.

Mt 15:10

(k) "they be blind" Mt 23:16, Lk 6:39

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 14 Let them alone - Αφετε αυτους, give them up, or leave them. These words have been sadly misunderstood. Some have quoted them to prove that blind and deceitful teachers should not be pointed out to the people, nor the people warned against them; and that men should abide in the communion of a corrupt Church, because that Church had once been the Church of God, and in it they had been brought up; and to prove this they bring Scripture, for, in our present translation, the words are rendered, let them alone: but the whole connection of the place evidently proves that our blessed Lord meant, give them up, have no kind of religious connection with them, and the strong reason for which he immediately adds, because they are blind leaders. This passage does not at all mean that blind leaders should not be pointed out to the people, that they may avoid being deceived by them; for this our Lord does frequently, and warns his disciples, and the people in general, against all such false teachers as the scribes and Pharisees were; and though he bids men do that they heard those say, while they sat in the chair of Moses, yet he certainly meant no more than that they should be observant of the moral law when read to them out of the sacred book: yet neither does he tell them to do all these false teachers said; for he testifies in Mat 15:6, that they had put such false glosses on the law, that, if followed, would endanger the salvation of their souls. The Codex Bezae, for αφετε αυτους, has αφετε τους τυφλους, give up these blind men. Amen! A literal attention to these words of our Lord produced the Reformation. Probably the words may be understood as a sort of proverbial expression for - Don't mind them: pay no regard to them. - "They are altogether unworthy of notice." And if the blind lead the blind - This was so self-evident a case that an apter parallel could not be found - if the blind lead the blind, both must fall into the ditch. Alas, for the blind teachers, who not only destroy their own souls, but those also of their flocks! Like priest, like people. If the minister be ignorant, he cannot teach what he does not know; and the people cannot become wise unto salvation under such a ministry - he is ignorant and wicked, and they are profligate. They who even wish such God speed; are partakers of their evil deeds. But shall not the poor deceived people escape? No: both shall fall into the pit of perdition together; for they should have searched the Scriptures, and not trusted to the ignorant sayings of corrupt men, no matter of what sect or party. He who has the Bible in his hand, or within his reach, and can read it, has no excuse.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 15:10-20

Christ shows that the defilement they ought to fear, was not from what entered their mouths as food, but from what came out of their mouths, which showed the wickedness of their hearts. Nothing will last in the soul but the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit; and nothing should be admitted into the church but what is from above; therefore, whoever is offended by a plain, seasonable declaration of the truth, we…

Read the full comment on Matthew 15:10-20 →

Matthew 15:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἄφετεaphetedo leaveG863

αὐτούς·autousthem!G846

τυφλοίtuphloiBlindG5185

εἰσινeisinthey areG1510

ὁδηγοίhodēgoiguidesG3595

τυφλῶν.tuphlōnof the blind.G5185

τυφλὸςtuphlosBlindG5185

δὲdenowG1161

τυφλὸνtuphlonblindG5185

ἐὰνeanifG1437

ὁδηγῇ,hodēgēathey shall lead,G3594

ἀμφότεροιamphoteroibothG297

εἰςeisintoG1519

βόθυνονbothunona pitG999

πεσοῦνται.pesountaiwill fall.G4098

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 15:14

Luke 6:39
And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
Isaiah 56:10
His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Matthew 23:16-24
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? …
Isaiah 9:16
For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
Malachi 2:8
But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
Isaiah 42:19
Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant?
Jeremiah 5:31
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
Ezekiel 14:9-10
And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;
2 Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Revelation 22:15
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
2 Peter 2:17
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
Jeremiah 8:12
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Let.
Ho 4:17; 1Ti 6:5
they.
23:16-24; Isa 9:16; 42:19; 56:10; Mal 2:8; Lu 6:39
And if.
Jer 5:31; 6:15; 8:12; Eze 14:9,10; Mic 3:6,7; 2Pe 2:1,17; Re 19:20
Re 22:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Matthew 15:13
But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Matthew 15:14
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Matthew 15:15
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

Read all of Matthew 15

Matthew 15:14 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Dejadlos: son ciegos guías de ciegos; y si el ciego guiare al ciego, ambos caerán en el hoyo.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Laissez-les; ce sont des aveugles, conducteurs d’aveugles: et si un aveugle conduit un aveugle, ils tomberont tous deux dans une fosse.
German Elberfelder 1871	Laßt sie; sie sind blinde Leiter der Blinden. Wenn aber ein Blinder einen Blinden leitet, so werden beide in eine Grube fallen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Sinite illos: cæci sunt, et duces cæcorum; cæcus autem si cæco ducatum præstet, ambo in foveam cadunt.