Matthew 11:18

11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ ¹ 

Matthew 14:21

14:21 Not counting women and children, there were about five thousand men who ate.

Matthew 15:38

15:38 Not counting children and women, ²  there were four thousand men who ate. ³ 

[11:18]  ¹ sn John the Baptist was too separatist and ascetic for some, and so he was accused of not being directed by God, but by a demon.

[15:38]  ² tc ‡ Although most witnesses (B C L W ˹³ 33 Ï f sy^s,p,h mae) read “women and children” instead of “children and women,” it is likely that the majority’s reading is a harmonization to Matt 14:21. “Children and women” is found in early and geographically widespread witnesses (e.g., א D [Θ Ë¹] 579 lat sy^c sa bo), and has more compelling internal arguments on its side, suggesting that this is the original reading. NA²⁷, however, agrees with the majority of witnesses.

[15:38]  ³ tn Grk “And those eating were four thousand men, apart from children and women.”