Mark 7

1. Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes from Jerusalem came together to Him.

2. And when they saw some of His disciples eating with defiled hands (that is, unwashed hands), they found fault.

3. For the Pharisees and all the Jews, holding fast to the tradition of the elders, do not eat unless they wash their hands thoroughly.

4. Even when coming from the market, they do not eat unless they first wash themselves. And there are many other things that they have received to observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and brass utensils and tables.

5. For this reason, the Pharisees and the scribes questioned Him, saying, “Why don’t Your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”

6. And He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from Me.

7. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.’

8. For leaving the commandment of God, you hold fast the tradition of men, such as the washing of pots and cups; and you practice many other things like this.”

9. Then He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, so that you may observe your own tradition.

10. For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’

11. But you say, ‘If a man shall say to his father or mother, “Whatever benefit you might receive from me is corban” (that is, set aside as a gift to God), he is not obligated to help his parents.’

12. And you excuse him from doing anything for his father or his mother,

13. Nullifying the authority of the Word of God by your tradition which you have passed down; and you practice many traditions such as this.”

14. And after calling all the multitude to Him, He said to them, “Hear Me, all of you, and understand.

15. There is nothing that enters into a man from outside which is able to defile him; but the things that come out from within him, those are the things which defile a man.

16. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

17. Now when He went into a house away from the multitude, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.

18. And He said to them, “Are you likewise without understanding? Don’t you perceive that anything that enters into a man from outside is not able to defile him?

19. For it does not enter into his heart, but into the belly, and then passes out into the sewer, purging all food.”

20. And He said, “That which springs forth from within a man, that defiles the man.

21. For from within, out of the hearts of men, go forth evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22. Thefts, covetousness, wickednesses, guile, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness;

23. All these evils go forth from within, and these defile a man.”

24. Then He rose up from there and went into the district of Tyre and Sidon; and when He came into the house, He desired that no one should know, but He could not be concealed.

25. For after hearing about Him, a woman who had a little daughter with an unclean spirit came and fell at His feet.

26. Now the woman was a Greek, Syrophenician by race, and she requested of Him that He cast the demon out of her daughter.

27. But Jesus said to her, “Allow the children to be satisfied first; for it is not fitting to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.”

28. But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.”

29. Then He said to her, “Because of this saying, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”

30. And when she came to her house, she found the demon gone and her daughter lying on the bed.

31. And after departing from the district of Tyre and Sidon, and passing through the middle of the borders of Decapolis, He again came to the Sea of Galilee.

32. Then they brought to Him a deaf man who spoke with difficulty, and they requested of Him that He lay His hands on him.

33. And after taking him apart from the multitude, He put His fingers into his ears; and then He spit on His finger and touched his tongue;

34. And after looking up to heaven, He groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha”; that is, “Be opened!”

35. And immediately his ears were opened, and the band of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.

36. Then He commanded them not to tell anyone. But although He had ordered them to keep quiet, they proclaimed it more and more.

37. For they were astonished above measure, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.”