Mark 7-9

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Traditions of the Elders

7 The^(A) Pharisees^(B) and some of the scribes^(C) who had come from Jerusalem^(D) gathered around Him. ² They observed that some of His disciples were eating their bread with unclean^(E)—that is, unwashed—hands. ³ (For the Pharisees, in fact all the Jews, will not eat unless they wash their hands ritually, keeping the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the marketplace,^(F) they do not eat unless they have washed.^(G) And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, jugs, copper utensils, and dining couches.^[a](H)) ⁵ Then the Pharisees^(I) and the scribes^(J) asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders,^(K) instead of eating bread with ritually unclean^[b] hands?”

⁶ He answered them, “Isaiah^(L) prophesied^(M) correctly about you hypocrites,^(N) as it is written:^(O)

⁸ Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men.”^{[d] 9} He also said to them, “You completely invalidate God’s command in order to maintain^[e] your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses^(U) said:

¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit^(X) you might have received from me is Corban’” (that is, a gift^(Y) committed to the temple), ¹² “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. ¹³ You revoke God’s word^(Z) by your tradition that you have handed^(AA) down. And you do many other similar things.” ¹⁴ Summoning^(AB) the crowd again, He told them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:^{(AC) 15} Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. [¹⁶ If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!]”^[h]

¹⁷ When He went into the house away from the crowd, the disciples asked Him about the parable. ¹⁸ And He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a man from the outside can defile him? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach^(AD) and is eliminated.”^[i] (As a result, He made all foods clean.^[j](AE)) ²⁰ Then He said, “What comes out of a person—that defiles him. ²¹ For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities,^(AF) thefts, murders,^{(AG) 22} adulteries,^(AH) greed,^(AI) evil actions, deceit,^(AJ) promiscuity,^(AK) stinginess,^[k] blasphemy,^(AL) pride,^(AM) and foolishness.^{(AN) 23} All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”

A Gentile Mother’s Faith

²⁴ He got up and departed from^(AO) there to the region of Tyre^(AP) and Sidon.^[l](AQ) He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it, but He could not escape notice. ²⁵ Instead, immediately after hearing about Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit^(AR) came and fell at His feet.^{(AS) 26} Now the woman was Greek,^(AT) a Syrophoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to drive the demon^(AU) out of her daughter. ²⁷ He said to her, “Allow the children to be satisfied first, because it isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”^(AV)

²⁸ But she replied to Him, “Lord,^(AW) even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

²⁹ Then He told her, “Because of this reply, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” ³⁰ When she went back to her home, she found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone.

Jesus Does Everything Well

³¹ Again, leaving the region of Tyre,^(AX) He went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,^(AY) through^[m] the region of the Decapolis.^{(AZ) 32} They brought to Him a deaf^(BA) man who also had a speech difficulty,^(BB) and begged Jesus to lay His hand on^(BC) him. ³³ So He took him away from the crowd privately. After putting His fingers in the man’s ears and spitting,^(BD) He touched his tongue. ³⁴ Then, looking up to heaven,^(BE) He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!”^[n] (that is, “Be opened!”). ³⁵ Immediately his ears were opened,^(BF) his speech difficulty was removed,^[o] and he began to speak clearly.^{(BG) 36} Then He ordered them to tell no one,^(BH) but the more He would order them, the more they would proclaim^(BI) it.

³⁷ They were extremely astonished and said, “He has done everything well!^(BJ) He even makes deaf^(BK) people hear, and people unable to speak,^(BL) talk!”

Feeding 4,000

8 In^(BM) those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He summoned^(BN) the disciples^(BO) and said to them, ² “I have compassion^(BP) on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with Me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home hungry,^[p] they will collapse on the way,^(BQ) and some of them have come a long distance.”

⁴ His disciples answered Him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to fill^(BR) these people?”

⁵ “How many loaves do you have?” He asked them.

“Seven,” they said. ⁶ Then He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks, broke^(BS) the loaves, and kept on giving them to His disciples to set before the people. So they served the loaves to the crowd. ⁷ They also had a few small fish, and when He had blessed them, He said these were to be served as well. ⁸ They ate and were filled. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. ⁹ About 4,000 men were there. He dismissed them ¹⁰ and immediately got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.^[q]

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

¹¹ The^(BT) Pharisees^(BU) came out and began to argue with Him, demanding of Him a sign^(BV) from heaven^(BW) to test^(BX) Him. ¹² But sighing deeply in His spirit,^(BY) He said, “Why does this generation^(BZ) demand a sign? I assure you:^(CA) No sign will be given to this generation!” ¹³ Then He left them, got on board the boat again, and went to the other side.

¹⁴ They had forgotten to take bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. ¹⁵ Then^(CB) He commanded them: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast^(CC) of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”^(CD)

¹⁶ They were discussing among themselves that they did not have any bread. ¹⁷ Aware of this, He said to them, “Why are you discussing that you do not have any bread? Don’t you understand or comprehend? Is your heart hardened?^{(CE) 18} Do you have eyes, and not see, and do you have ears, and not hear?^(CF)[r] And do you not remember?^{(CG) 19} When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of pieces of bread did you collect?”

“Twelve,” they told Him.

²⁰ “When I broke the seven loaves for the 4,000, how many large baskets full of pieces of bread did you collect?”

“Seven,” they said.

²¹ And He said to them, “Don’t you understand yet?”^(CH)

Healing a Blind Man

²² Then they came to Bethsaida.^(CI) They brought a blind^(CJ) man to Him and begged Him to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and brought him out of the village. Spitting^(CK) on his eyes and laying His hands on^(CL) him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?”

²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people—they look to me like trees walking.”^(CM)

²⁵ Again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes, and he saw distinctly. He was cured and could see everything clearly. ²⁶ Then He sent^(CN) him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”^[s](CO)

Peter’s Confession of the Messiah

²⁷ Jesus^(CP) went out with His disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”

²⁸ They answered Him, “John the Baptist;^(CQ) others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”^(CR)

²⁹ “But you,” He asked them again, “who do you say that I am?”

Peter^(CS) answered Him, “You are the Messiah!”^(CT)

³⁰ And He strictly warned^(CU) them to tell no one about Him.

His Death and Resurrection Predicted

³¹ Then^(CV) He began to teach them that the Son of Man^(CW) must suffer many things and be rejected^(CX) by the elders,^(CY) the chief priests, and the scribes,^(CZ) be killed, and rise^(DA) after three days.^{(DB) 32} He was openly talking about this. So Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

³³ But turning around and looking at His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan,^(DC) because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns,^[t] but man’s!”

Take Up Your Cross

³⁴ Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself,^(DD) take up his cross,^(DE) and follow Me.^{(DF) 35} For whoever wants to save^(DG) his life will lose it,^(DH) but whoever loses^(DI) his life^(DJ) because of Me^(DK) and the gospel^(DL) will save it.^{(DM) 36} For what does it benefit^(DN) a man to gain^(DO) the whole world^(DP) yet lose^(DQ) his life?^{(DR) 37} What can a man give in exchange for his life?^{(DS) 38} For whoever is ashamed^(DT) of Me and of My words^(DU) in this adulterous and sinful^(DV) generation,^(DW) the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory^(DX) of His Father^(DY) with the holy^(DZ) angels.”^(EA)

9 Then He said to them, “I assure you:^(EB) There are some standing here who will not taste death^(EC) until they see the kingdom of God come in power.”^(ED)

The Transfiguration

² After^(EE) six days^(EF) Jesus took Peter, James, and John^(EG) and led them up on a high mountain^(EH) by themselves to be alone. He was transformed^[u](EI) in front of them, ³ and His clothes^(EJ) became dazzling—extremely white^(EK) as no launderer on earth could whiten^(EL) them. ⁴ Elijah^(EM) appeared to them with Moses,^(EN) and they were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,^(EO) it’s good^(EP) for us to be here! Let us make three tabernacles:^(EQ) one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— ⁶ because he did not know what he should say,^(ER) since they were terrified.^(ES)

⁷ A cloud^(ET) appeared, overshadowing^(EU) them, and a voice^(EV) came from the cloud:^(EW)

⁸ Then suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone.

⁹ As^(FA) they were coming down from the mountain,^(FB) He ordered them to tell no one what they had seen^(FC) until the Son of Man^(FD) had risen^(FE) from the dead.^{(FF) 10} They kept this word^(FG) to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.

¹¹ Then they began to question Him, “Why do the scribes^(FH) say that Elijah must come first?”^(FI)

¹² “Elijah does come first and restores^(FJ) everything,”^(FK) He replied. “How then is it written^(FL) about the Son of Man that He must suffer^(FM) many things and be treated with contempt?^{(FN) 13} But I tell you that Elijah really has come, and they did whatever they pleased to him, just as it is written^(FO) about him.”

The Power of Faith over a Demon

¹⁴ When^(FP) they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes disputing^(FQ) with them. ¹⁵ All of a sudden, when the whole crowd saw Him, they were amazed^[v] and ran to greet Him. ¹⁶ Then He asked them, “What are you arguing with them about?”

¹⁷ Out of the crowd, one man answered Him, “Teacher,^(FR) I brought my son to You. He has a spirit^(FS) that makes him unable to speak.^{(FT) 18} Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn’t.”

¹⁹ He replied to them, “You unbelieving^(FU) generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to Me.” ²⁰ So they brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father.

“From childhood,” he said. ²² “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy^(FV) him. But if You can do anything, have compassion^(FW) on us and help us.”

²³ Then Jesus said to him, “‘If You can’?^[w][x] Everything is possible^(FX) to the one who believes.”^(FY)

²⁴ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe! Help my unbelief.”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly coming together, He rebuked^(FZ) the unclean^(GA) spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf^(GB) spirit,^[y] I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!”

²⁶ Then it came out, shrieking and convulsing^(GC) him^[z] violently. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him,^(GD) and he stood up.

²⁸ After He went into a house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹ And He told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer^(GE) [and fasting].”^[aa](GF)

The Second Prediction of His Death

³⁰ Then^(GG) they left that place and made their way through Galilee, but He did not want anyone to know it.^{(GH) 31} For He was teaching^(GI) His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man^(GJ) is being betrayed^[ab] into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after He is killed, He will rise^(GK) three days later.”^{(GL) 32} But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.^(GM)

Who is the Greatest?

³³ Then^(GN) they came to Capernaum.^(GO) When He was in the house,^(GP) He asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”^{(GQ) 34} But they were silent,^(GR) because on the way they had been arguing with one another about who was the greatest.^{(GS) 35} Sitting down, He called the Twelve^(GT) and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”^{(GU) 36} Then He took a child,^(GV) had him stand among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes^[ac] one little child such as this in My name^(GW) welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me, but Him who sent^(GX) Me.”^(GY)

In His Name

³⁸ John^(GZ) said to Him, “Teacher,^(HA) we saw someone^[ad] driving out demons^(HB) in Your name,^(HC) and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”^(HD)

³⁹ “Don’t stop him,” said Jesus, “because there is no one who will perform a miracle^(HE) in My name who can soon afterward speak evil of Me. ⁴⁰ For whoever is not against us is for us.^{(HF) 41} And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink^(HG) because of My name,^[ae] since you belong to the Messiah^(HH)—I assure you:^(HI) He will never lose his reward.^(HJ)

Warnings from Jesus

⁴² “But whoever causes the downfall of one of these little ones who believe in Me^(HK)—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone^[af](HL) were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. ⁴³ And if your hand causes your downfall, cut it off.^(HM) It is better for you to enter life maimed^(HN) than to have two hands and go to hell—the unquenchable fire,^(HO) [⁴⁴ where

⁴⁵ And if your foot causes your downfall,^(HQ) cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame^(HR) than to have two feet and be thrown into hell— [the unquenchable fire,^{(HS) 46} where

⁴⁷ And if your eye causes your downfall, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God^(HU) with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown^(HV) into hell,^{(HW) 48} where

⁴⁹ For everyone will be salted with fire.^{[al](HX)[am] 50} Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you make it salty?^(HY) Have salt^(HZ) among yourselves and be at peace^(IA) with one another.”