Matthew 15:14 kjv
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 nkjv
Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."
Matthew 15:14 niv
Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
Matthew 15:14 esv
Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
Matthew 15:14 nlt
so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch."
Matthew 15 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 6:9-10 | "Go and tell this people: 'Be ever hearing, but never understanding... make their ears dull, and close their eyes... lest they see with their eyes... and turn, and be healed.'" | Spiritual blindness of those who reject truth. |
| Jer 5:21 | "Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear." | Lack of discernment despite senses. |
| Ezek 34:2 | "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed only themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?" | Condemnation of negligent religious leaders. |
| Zec 11:17 | "Woe to the worthless shepherd who leaves the flock!" | Woe to irresponsible leaders. |
| Lk 6:39 | "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a ditch?" | Parallel teaching of the same concept. |
| Mt 7:15 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." | Warning against deceptive teachers. |
| Mt 23:16 | "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing...’" | Jesus directly calls them "blind guides." |
| Jn 9:39 | "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." | Jesus exposes spiritual sight vs. blindness. |
| Jn 9:40-41 | "Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, 'Are we blind too?' Jesus said, 'If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.'" | The Pharisees' self-deception about their sight. |
| Rom 2:19 | "and are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark." | Irony of those claiming to guide others. |
| 2 Cor 4:4 | "The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel..." | Satan's role in spiritual blindness. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you... they will exploit you with fabricated stories." | Warning about the proliferation of false teachers. |
| Jude 1:11 | "Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion." | Judgment upon those who lead astray for gain. |
| Ps 7:15 | "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back on them." | The one who plans destruction falls into it. |
| Ps 9:15 | "The nations have fallen into the pit they dug; their feet are caught in the net they hid." | Consequences for entrapping others. |
| Prov 28:10 | "Whoever leads the upright astray in an evil way will fall into their own pit..." | Deceiving others leads to one's own ruin. |
| Isa 42:19-20 | "Who is blind but My servant, or deaf as My messenger... You have seen many things, but you do not observe; your ears are open, but you do not hear." | Israel's spiritual failure despite privilege. |
| 2 Tim 3:13 | "But wicked people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." | Increasing deception of false teachers. |
| 2 Tim 3:5 | "having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." | Advice to separate from such people. |
| Rom 16:17-18 | "I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them." | Call for believers to avoid divisive teachers. |
| Ps 119:105 | "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." | God's word as the true guide. |
| Jn 8:12 | "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." | Jesus as the true alternative to blind guides. |
Matthew 15 verses
Matthew 15 14 Meaning
Matthew 15:14 serves as Jesus' direct and strong indictment of the Pharisees, who were opposing His teachings. It reveals that the spiritual state of the unseeing, leading religious guides will inevitably lead to destruction, not just for themselves but also for those who blindly follow them. The core message is a warning against hypocritical, truth-rejecting leaders and the dire consequences of aligning with their erroneous guidance, symbolizing utter spiritual ruin.
Matthew 15 14 Context
Matthew 15:14 is uttered by Jesus in the immediate context of His interaction with the Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem. These religious leaders challenged Jesus' disciples for not adhering to the tradition of ceremonial handwashing before eating, which they viewed as a defilement. Jesus, in response (Mt 15:3-9), vehemently rebukes them for prioritizing their human traditions over God's commandments, highlighting their hypocrisy. He then teaches the crowd and His disciples that defilement comes not from what enters the mouth (e.g., food without ritual washing), but from what proceeds out of the heart (Mt 15:10-11, 18-20). This specific verse comes after the disciples express concern that the Pharisees were offended by Jesus' teaching (Mt 15:12). Jesus' dismissive instruction, "Let them alone," reflects His assessment that these leaders are beyond repentance in this moment and His deep spiritual diagnosis of their condition as spiritually "blind."
Matthew 15 14 Word analysis
- "Let them alone": Greek: Aphíete autoús (ἀφίετε αὐτούς). This imperative signifies to dismiss, leave alone, or permit. It implies a command not to engage further with them or try to convince them, acknowledging their hardened hearts and wilful spiritual ignorance. It's a statement of relinquishment rather than passive acceptance. It indicates that the path to repentance is blocked by their own willfulness.
- "they be blind": Greek: Typhloí (τυφλοί). This is not physical blindness but profound spiritual and intellectual inability to perceive truth. It refers to a moral and intellectual perversion where truth is rejected, and error embraced. This condition stems from an unwillingness to believe rather than a mere inability to understand, often rooted in self-righteousness or clinging to power.
- "leaders": Greek: Hodēgoí (ὁδηγοί). This term refers to guides, instructors, or leaders, particularly those who lead others on a path. In this context, it designates the religious teachers (Pharisees and scribes) who were meant to guide people in the Law of God but were, in fact, leading them astray by their distorted interpretations and traditions.
- "of the blind": This reiterates the spiritual state of their followers. The ones being led are themselves spiritually blind, either by birth, neglect, or by allowing themselves to be led by inadequate guides, leading to their own culpable spiritual state.
- "And if the blind lead the blind": This phrase functions as a proverb, reinforcing the logical and inevitable outcome. It stresses the reciprocal nature of the spiritual danger: flawed leaders guide misled followers. The emphasis is on the certainty of the outcome.
- "both shall fall": Greek: pesountai (πεσοῦνται). This verb signifies to fall, indicating a literal stumbling or collapse. Here, it refers to the spiritual and moral collapse or ruin, implying an inevitable downfall or judgment. It underscores that both the deceiver and the deceived share in the common outcome.
- "into the ditch": Greek: eis bothýnon (εἰς βόθυνον). This refers to a pit, a trench, or a hole. Symbolically, it represents a place of danger, ruin, destruction, or entrapment. It conveys the consequence of misguided steps, signifying complete and utter failure, and separation from God's pathway to life.
Matthew 15 14 Bonus section
- The severity of Jesus' language ("blind leaders") demonstrates the profound danger posed by those who claim spiritual authority but distort God's truth. It is one of His strongest denunciations of the religious elite.
- This verse highlights the importance of spiritual discernment for every individual. It places the onus not only on the leader to be truthful but also on the follower to evaluate who they allow to guide their spiritual journey. A follower's own blindness makes them susceptible.
- The "ditch" or "pit" metaphor appears elsewhere in the Bible, often symbolizing inescapable peril, ruin, or judgment (e.g., Ps 7:15, Prov 28:10). Its inclusion underscores the ultimate, unavoidable consequence of such spiritual misdirection.
- This warning is perpetually relevant. It urges believers to evaluate teachings not by human authority or tradition, but by the infallible Word of God and the Person of Christ, who is the true Light and Guide.
Matthew 15 14 Commentary
Matthew 15:14 is a piercing diagnosis of spiritual deception and its inevitable consequence. Jesus issues a clear directive: "Let them alone." This is not indifference but a recognition that these leaders, due to their ingrained spiritual blindness and rejection of divine truth for human traditions, are unteachable at that moment. Their obstinacy meant further engagement would be fruitless. Jesus labels them "blind leaders of the blind," emphasizing their inability to see spiritual realities, coupled with their role in misleading others. Their teachings were rooted in self-interest and human custom, not divine revelation. The logical and inescapable outcome of this spiritual condition is powerfully depicted in the proverb: "And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." This vividly portrays the mutual ruin of false teachers and their misguided followers. Their ultimate destiny is a complete collapse, a profound failure leading to destruction, far removed from the Kingdom of God. It's a sobering warning against following any leadership without discerning if they genuinely follow Christ, who alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This calls believers to personal spiritual discernment and not to outsource their understanding to fallible guides.