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Matthew 16:6-12

Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

They reasoned among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”

Jesus, perceiving it, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, ‘because you have brought no bread?’ Don’t you yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up? How is it that you don’t perceive that I didn’t speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Then they understood that he didn’t tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Matthew 16:6-12 sits inside this longer paragraph.

The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread. Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

They reasoned among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”

Jesus, perceiving it, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, ‘because you have brought no bread?’ Don’t you yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up? How is it that you don’t perceive that I didn’t speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Then they understood that he didn’t tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

    They reasoned among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”

    Jesus, perceiving it, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, ‘because you have brought no bread?’

    Don’t you yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

    Nor the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

    How is it that you don’t perceive that I didn’t speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

    Then they understood that he didn’t tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    Then Iesus sayd vnto them: Take hede and beware of the leve of the Pharises and of the Saduces.

    And they thought in them selves sayinge: because we have brought no breed with vs.

    When Iesus vnderstode that he sayd vnto the. O ye of lytell faith why are youre mindes cumbred because ye have brought no breed?

    Do ye not yet perceave nether remember those.v. loves when there were.v.M. men and how many baskettes toke ye vp?

    Nether the.vii. loves when there were.iiiii.M. and how many baskettes toke ye vp?

    Why perceave ye not then that I spake not vnto you of breed when I sayde beware of the leven of the Pharises and of the Saduces?

    Then vnderstode they how that he bad not them beware of the leven of breed: but of the doctrine of the Pharises and of the Saduces.

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  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    Then Iesus said vnto them, Take heede and beware of the leauen of the Pharises and Sadduces.

    And they reasoned among themselues, saying, It is because we haue brought no bread.

    But Iesus knowing it, saide vnto them, O ye of litle faith, why reason you thus among your selues, because ye haue brought no bread?

    Doe ye not yet perceiue, neither remember the fiue loaues, when there were fiue thousand men, and how many baskets tooke ye vp?

    Neither the seuen loaues when there were foure thousande men, and howe many baskets tooke ye vp?

    Why perceiue ye not that I said not vnto you concerning bread, that ye shoulde beware of the leauen of the Pharises and Sadduces?

    Then vnderstood they that he had not said that they should beware of the leauen of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharises, and Sadduces.

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Cross-references (42)

  • Luke 12:1 (v6) Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his…
  • Matthew 6:30 (v8) But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won’t he much more clothe you, you…
  • Matthew 14:17-21 (v9) They told him, “We only have here five loaves and two fish.” He said, “Bring them here to me.” He commanded the multitudes to sit down on…
  • Matthew 8:26 (v8) He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the wind and the sea, and there was a great calm.
  • Matthew 14:31 (v8) Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Show all 42 cross-references
  • Matthew 5:20 (v12) For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of…
  • Matthew 16:12 (v6) Then they understood that he didn’t tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
  • Mark 16:14 (v8) Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart,…
  • Luke 9:13-17 (v9) But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and…
  • John 6:9-13 (v9) “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”…
  • Galatians 5:9 (v6) A little yeast grows through the whole lump.
  • Leviticus 2:11 (v6) “ ‘No meal offering which you shall offer to Yahweh shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering…
  • 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 (v6) Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump? Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump,…
  • Matthew 15:16-17 (v9) So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand? Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then…
  • Matthew 15:34-38 (v10) Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” He commanded the multitude to sit down on the…
  • Matthew 16:6 (v11) Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
  • Mark 6:38-44 (v9) He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go see.” When they knew, they said, “Five, and two fish.” He commanded them that everyone…
  • Mark 8:15 (v6) He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”
  • John 2:24-25 (v8) But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he…
  • Hebrews 4:13 (v8) There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an…
  • Mark 4:40 (v11) He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
  • Mark 7:18 (v9) He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him,
  • Mark 8:5-9 (v10) He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and he took the…
  • Mark 8:16-18 (v7) They reasoned with one another, saying, “It’s because we have no bread.” Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s…
  • Mark 8:17-21 (v10) Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, neither understand? Is…
  • Mark 8:21 (v11) He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”
  • Luke 12:56 (v11) You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?
  • Luke 24:25-27 (v9) He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these…
  • John 8:43 (v11) Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.
  • John 16:30 (v8) Now we know that you know all things, and don’t need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
  • Acts 23:8 (v12) For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.
  • 2 Timothy 2:16-17 (v6) But shun empty chatter, for it will go further in ungodliness, and those words will consume like gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and…
  • Revelation 2:23 (v8) I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each…
  • Revelation 3:19 (v9) As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
  • Exodus 12:15-19 (v6) “ ‘Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away yeast out of your houses, for whoever eats leavened…
  • Matthew 15:4-9 (v12) For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you…
  • Matthew 15:16-18 (v7) So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand? Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then…
  • Matthew 23:13-28 (v12) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will…
  • Mark 9:10 (v7) They kept this saying to themselves, questioning what the “rising from the dead” meant.
  • Luke 9:46 (v7) An argument arose among them about which of them was the greatest.
  • Luke 12:15 (v6) He said to them, “Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man’s life doesn’t consist of the abundance of the things which he…
  • Acts 10:14 (v7) But Peter said, “Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.”

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (17 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11 Not by others, but by virtue of his divinity.

Not by others, but by virtue of his divinity.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv6–12 6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v8 Mark, giving us an account of this passage, Mar…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv6–12 Then Jesus said unto them,.... Either taking occasion from…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv6, 7, 8, 11 Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees - That…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv6–11 Verse 6. Beware of the leaven] What the leaven…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv6, 8 Beware of the leaven, &c. The disciples, not understanding…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 6. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees —…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv7, 12 7. It is because we have taken no bread]…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 (6) Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.—The form…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 The leaven. Christ"s thoughts were still fixed on the…
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv6, 12 Mat_16:6; Mat_16:12
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv6–7 6. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, etc.…
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv9–10 A different Greek word from that translated "baskets" in…
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv6, 8 The warning and its understanding:
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv9, 11 Connecting Statement:
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv9, 11 16:9-10 Jesus had demonstrated to his disciples that he…
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