Matthew 15:11-20

¹ tn Grk “but what.”

² sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

³ tn Grk “And answering, he said.”

⁴ tc ‡ Most mss, some of which are significant, read “They are blind guides of the blind” (א¹ C L W Z Θ Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat). The shorter reading is read by א*^,2 B D 0237 Epiph. There is a distinct possibility of omission due to homoioarcton in א*; this manuscript has a word order variation which puts the word τυφλοί (tufloi, “blind”) right before the word τυφλῶν (tuflwn, “of the blind”). This does not explain the shorter reading, however, in the other witnesses, of which B and D are quite weighty. Internal considerations suggest that the shorter reading is original: “of the blind” was likely added by scribes to balance this phrase with Jesus’ following statement about the blind leading the blind, which clearly has two groups in view. A decision is difficult, but internal considerations here along with the strength of the witnesses argue that the shorter reading is more likely original. NA²⁷ places τυφλῶν in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

⁵ tn Grk “If blind leads blind.”

⁶ tn Grk “And answering, Peter said to him.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁸ tn Or “into the latrine.”

⁹ tn Grk “but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”