Matthew 15 · Verse 23

Matthew 15:23

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Matthew 15:23, King James Version

Matthew 15:23 in other translations

BSBBut Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
WEBBut he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”
ASVBut he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
YLTAnd he did not answer her a word; and his disciples having come to him, were asking him, saying--‘Let her away, because she crieth after us;'
DARBYBut he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came to him and asked him, saying, Dismiss her, for she cries after us.
BBEBut he gave her no answer. And his disciples came and said to him, Send her away, for she is crying after us.
WebsterBut he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

What does Matthew 15:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
23. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us--(Also see on Mr 7:26.)

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. But he answered her not a word. This was done to test her faith, and that there might be exhibited to the apostles an example of the effect of persevering supplication. The result shows that it was not unwillingness to aid her, or neglect of her. It was proper that the strength of her faith should be fully tried.

(p) "not a word" Ps 28:1, Lam 3:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 He answered her not a word - Seemed to take time to consider her request, and to give her the opportunity of exercising her faith, and manifesting her fervor.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 15:21-28

The dark corners of the country, the most remote, shall share Christ's influences; afterwards the ends of the earth shall see his salvation. The distress and trouble of her family brought a woman to Christ; and though it is need that drives us to Christ, yet we shall not therefore be driven from him. She did not limit Christ to any particular instance of mercy, but mercy, mercy, is what she begged for: she pleads…

Read the full comment on Matthew 15:21-28 →

Matthew 15:23 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.

ὉHo<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
οὐκouknotG3756
ἀπεκρίθηapekrithēHe answeredG611
αὐτῇautēato herG846
λόγον.logona word.G3056
καὶkaiAndG2532
προσελθόντεςproselthonteshaving come to [him]G4334
οἱhoitheG3588
μαθηταὶmathētaidisciplesG3101
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
ἠρώτουνērōtounwere imploringG2065
αὐτὸνautonHimG846
λέγοντες·legontessaying;G3004
ἀπόλυσονapolusondo dismissG630
αὐτήν,autēnher,G846
ὅτιhotiforG3754
κράζειkrazeishe cries outG2896
ὄπισθενopisthenafterG3693
ἡμῶν.¶hēmōnus!G3165

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

Cross references for Matthew 15:23

  • Matthew 14:15

    And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

  • Genesis 42:7

    And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

  • Psalms 28:1

    A Psalm of David. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

  • Lamentations 3:8

    Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

  • Mark 10:47-48

    And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

  • Deuteronomy 8:2

    And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ge 42:7; De 8:2; Ps 28:1; La 3:8
Send.
14:15; Mr 10:47,48

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

Context

  • Matthew 15:22

    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.

  • Matthew 15:23

    But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

  • Matthew 15:24

    But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Read all of Matthew 15

Matthew 15:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas él no le respondió palabra. Entonces llegándose sus discípulos, le rogaron, diciendo: Despáchala, pues da voces tras nosotros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il ne lui répondit mot. Et ses disciples, s’approchant, le prièrent, disant: Renvoie-la, car elle crie après nous.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er aber antwortete ihr nicht ein Wort. Und seine Jünger traten herzu und baten ihn und sprachen: Entlaß sie, denn sie schreit hinter uns her.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui non respondit ei verbum. Et accedentes discipuli ejus rogabant eum dicentes: Dimitte eam: quia clamat post nos.