Matthew 15:15
New International Version
Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”

New Living Translation
Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”

English Standard Version
But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.”

Berean Standard Bible
Peter said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

Berean Literal Bible
And Peter answering said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."

King James Bible
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

New King James Version
Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

New American Standard Bible
Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.”

NASB 1995
Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.”

NASB 1977
And Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.”

Amplified Bible
Peter asked Him, “Explain this parable [about what defiles a person] to us.”

Christian Standard Bible
Then Peter said, “Explain this parable to us.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Peter replied to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

American Standard Version
And Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us the parable.

Contemporary English Version
Peter replied, "What did you mean when you talked about the things that make people unclean?"

English Revised Version
And Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us the parable.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Peter said to him, "Explain this illustration to us."

Good News Translation
Peter spoke up, "Explain this saying to us."

International Standard Version
Then Peter told him, "Explain to us this parable."

Majority Standard Bible
Peter said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

NET Bible
But Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us."

New Heart English Bible
And answering, Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us."

Webster's Bible Translation
Then answered Peter and said to him, Declare to us this parable.

Weymouth New Testament
"Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter.

World English Bible
Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Peter answering said to Him, “Explain to us this allegory.”

Berean Literal Bible
And Peter answering said to Him, "Explain this parable to us."

Young's Literal Translation
And Peter answering said to him, 'Explain to us this simile.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Peter, having answered, said to him, Explain to us this parable.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Peter answering, said to him: Expound to us this parable.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And responding, Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.”

New American Bible
Then Peter said to him in reply, “Explain [this] parable to us.”

New Revised Standard Version
But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Simon Peter answered and said to him, My Lord, explain this parable to us.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Shimeon Kaypha answered and said to him: “My Lord, explain to us this parable.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But Peter answered and said to him: Explain to us this dark saying.

Godbey New Testament
Peter responding said to Him, Explain unto us the parable.

Haweis New Testament
Then Peter answering said unto him, Explain to us this parable.

Mace New Testament
then Peter said to him, tell us the meaning of that expression.

Weymouth New Testament
"Explain to us this figurative language," said Peter.

Worrell New Testament
And Peter, answering, said to Him, "Explain to us the parable."

Worsley New Testament
Then Peter answered, and said unto Him, Explain to us this parable.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
What Defiles a Man
14Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” 15 Peter said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16“Do you still not understand?” Jesus asked.…

Cross References
Mark 7:17
After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples inquired about the parable.

Matthew 13:36
Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

Luke 8:9
Then His disciples asked Him what this parable meant.

John 16:29
His disciples said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and without figures of speech.

Acts 10:14
“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

1 Corinthians 3:1-2
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. / I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready,

Hebrews 5:11-14
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing. / Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food! / For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. ...

James 3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.

Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Jeremiah 5:21
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Ezekiel 12:2
“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Psalm 119:18
Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

Hosea 14:9
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in them.

1 Peter 1:10-12
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who foretold the grace to come to you searched and investigated carefully, / trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. / It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.


Treasury of Scripture

Then answered Peter and said to him, Declare to us this parable.

Declare.

Matthew 13:36
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

Mark 4:34
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

Mark 7:17
And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

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Clear Declare Explain Expound Figurative Language Parable Peter Simile Story
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














Peter said to Him
In this passage, Peter, one of Jesus' closest disciples, takes the initiative to speak directly to Jesus. The name "Peter" comes from the Greek "Petros," meaning "rock." This name was given to him by Jesus, symbolizing the foundational role he would play in the early church. Peter's willingness to engage with Jesus reflects his bold and inquisitive nature, often seen throughout the Gospels. His direct communication with Jesus highlights the personal relationship the disciples had with their Master, emphasizing the accessibility and approachability of Christ.

Explain this parable to us
The word "explain" in Greek is "phrazo," which means to make clear or to declare. Peter's request for an explanation indicates a desire for deeper understanding, a trait that is essential for any disciple. The term "parable" comes from the Greek "parabole," meaning a comparison or analogy. Jesus often used parables to convey profound spiritual truths in a manner that was relatable yet required contemplation. The disciples' need for clarification suggests that the teachings of Jesus were not always immediately understood, even by those closest to Him. This highlights the depth and complexity of Jesus' teachings and the importance of seeking divine wisdom and insight.

(15) Declare unto us this parable.--The answer shows that Peter's question referred not to the proverb that immediately preceded, but to what seemed to him the strange, startling utterance of Matthew 15:11. It was significant that he could not as yet take in the thought that it was a truth to be received literally. To him it seemed a dark enigmatic saying, which required an explanation, like that which had been given of the parable of the Sower, to make its meaning clear.

Verse 15. - Then answered Peter. The disciples could not understand the apparent depreciation of the external in religion; they did not see the meaning of what Christ had said. Peter, as their mouthpiece, asked for further explanation. Declare; φράσον: edissere. Explain. Parable. The word in an extended sense is used of any hard, enigmatical saying or figurative expression. The term here is applied to the statement in ver. 11. The apostles did not comprehend the minimizing of the rules concerning purification, and the possibility of a man being defiled by what proceeded from his mouth. Inveterate prejudices die hard, and it is difficult to emancipate one's self from old modes of thought.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Peter
Πέτρος (Petros)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4074: Peter, a Greek name meaning rock. Apparently a primary word; a rock; as a name, Petrus, an apostle.

said
Ἀποκριθεὶς (Apokritheis)
Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 611: From apo and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. to respond; by Hebraism to begin to speak.

to Him,
αὐτῷ (autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
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.

“Explain
Φράσον (Phrason)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 5419: To declare, explain, interpret. Probably akin to phrasso through the idea of defining; to indicate, i.e., to expound.

this
ταύτην (tautēn)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

parable
παραβολήν (parabolēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3850: From paraballo; a similitude, i.e. fictitious narrative, apothegm or adage.

to us.”
ἡμῖν (hēmin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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