Mark 7:12-23

English Standard Version

¹² then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, ¹³ thus ^(A)making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

What Defiles a Person

¹⁴ And he called the people to him again and said to them, ^(B)“Hear me, all of you, and understand: ^15 (C)There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”^{[a] 17} And when he had entered ^(D)the house and left the people, ^(E)his disciples asked him about the parable. ¹⁸ And he said to them, “Then ^(F)are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ since it enters not his heart ^(G)but his stomach, and is expelled?”^[b] (^(H)Thus he declared all foods clean.) ²⁰ And he said, ^(I)“What comes out of a person is what defiles him. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, ^(J)murder, adultery, ²² coveting, wickedness, deceit, ^(K)sensuality, ^(L)envy, ^(M)slander, ^(N)pride, ^(O)foolishness. ^23 (P)All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”