傳統與誡命

有法利賽人和一些律法教師從耶路撒冷來見耶穌。 他們看到祂的門徒有些吃飯前沒有照禮儀洗手。 因為法利賽人和所有的猶太人都拘守古人的傳統,總是先照禮儀洗手之後才吃飯; 從市場回來也要先潔淨自己,然後才吃飯。他們還拘守許多其他規矩,如洗杯、罐、銅器等。

他們質問耶穌:「為什麼你的門徒違背祖先的傳統,竟用不潔淨的手吃飯呢?」

耶穌回答說:「以賽亞先知針對你們這些偽君子所說的預言一點不錯,正如聖經上說,

『這些人嘴上尊崇我,
心卻遠離我。
他們的教導無非是人的規條,
他們敬拜我也是枉然。』

你們只知拘守人的傳統,卻無視上帝的誡命。」 耶穌又對他們說:「你們為了拘守自己的傳統,竟巧妙地廢除了上帝的誡命。 10 摩西說,『要孝敬父母』,又說,『咒罵父母的,必被處死。』 11 你們卻認為人若對父母說,『我把供養你們的錢財已經全部奉獻給上帝了』, 12 他就可以不奉養父母。 13 你們就是這樣為了拘守傳統而廢除上帝的道,類似的情形還有很多。」

內心的污穢

14 耶穌又召集眾人,教導他們說:「我的話,你們要聽明白, 15 從外面進去的不會使人污穢,只有從人裡面發出來的才會使人污穢。 16 有耳可聽的,都應當聽!」

17 耶穌離開眾人,進了屋子,門徒問祂這比喻的意思。 18 耶穌說:「你們也不明白嗎?你們不知道嗎?從外面進去的,不會使人污穢, 19 因為不能進入他的心,只能進他的腸胃,最後會排出來,也就是說所有的食物都是潔淨的。 20 從人裡面發出來的才使人污穢, 21 因為從裡面,就是從人的心裡能夠生出惡念、苟合、偷盜、謀殺、 22 通姦、貪婪、邪惡、詭詐、放蕩、嫉妒、毀謗、驕傲、狂妄。 23 這一切惡事都是從裡面生出來的,能使人污穢。」

外族婦人的信心

24 耶穌從那裡啟程去泰爾和西頓地區。祂進了一戶人家,原本不想讓人知道,卻無法避開人們的注意。 25-26 當時有一個婦人的小女兒被污鬼附身,她聽見耶穌的事,就來俯伏在祂腳前,懇求祂趕出她女兒身上的鬼。這婦人是希臘人,來自敘利亞的腓尼基。

27 耶穌對她說:「要先讓兒女們吃飽,因為把兒女的食物丟給狗吃不合適。」

28 婦人說:「主啊,你說的對,但桌子下的狗也吃孩子們掉下來的碎渣呀!」

29 耶穌說:「因為你這句話,你回去吧,鬼已經離開你的女兒了。」

30 她回到家裡,見女兒躺在床上,鬼已經離開了。

醫治聾啞的人

31 耶穌離開泰爾地區,經過西頓,來到低加坡里地區的加利利湖。 32 有人帶著一個又聾又啞的人來見耶穌,懇求祂把手按在這個人身上。 33 耶穌就帶他離開眾人走到一邊,用指頭伸進他的耳朵,又吐唾沫抹他的舌頭, 34 望天長歎,對他說:「以法大!」意思是「開了吧!」 35 他的耳朵立刻開了,舌頭靈活了,說話也清楚了。 36 耶穌吩咐他們不要將這事告訴人。可是耶穌越是這樣吩咐,他們越是極力宣揚, 37 聽見的人都十分驚奇,說:「祂做的事好極了,甚至叫聾子聽見,啞巴說話!」

Followers of Tradition

(A)The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come (B)from Jerusalem, and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with (C)impure hands, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they [a]carefully wash their hands, thus observing the (D)traditions of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they [b]cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the [c]washing of (E)cups and pitchers and copper pots.) The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the (F)tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with (G)impure hands?” And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:

(H)This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
(I)But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’

Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the (J)tradition of men.”

He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your (K)tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘(L)Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘(M)He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to [d]be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is (N)Corban (that is to say, [e]given to God),’ 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating the word of God by your (O)tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

The Heart of Man

14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. 16 [[f]If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”]

17 When he had left the crowd and entered (P)the house, (Q)His disciples questioned Him about the parable. 18 And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and [g]is eliminated?” (Thus He declared (R)all foods (S)clean.) 20 And He was saying, (T)That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, [h]fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, [i](U)envy, slander, [j]pride and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

The Syrophoenician Woman

24 (V)Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of (W)Tyre[k]. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; [l]yet He could not escape notice. 25 But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. 26 Now the woman was a [m]Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not [n]good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” 29 And He said to her, “Because of this [o]answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And going back to her home, she found the child [p]lying on the bed, the demon having left.

31 (X)Again He went out from the region of (Y)Tyre, and came through Sidon to (Z)the Sea of Galilee, within the region of (AA)Decapolis. 32 They *brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they *implored Him to (AB)lay His hand on him. 33 (AC)Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after (AD)spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; 34 and looking up to heaven with a deep (AE)sigh, He *said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” 35 And his ears were opened, and the [q]impediment of his tongue [r]was removed, and he began speaking plainly. 36 And (AF)He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they (AG)continued to proclaim it. 37 They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:3 Lit with the fist
  2. Mark 7:4 Or sprinkle
  3. Mark 7:4 Lit baptizing
  4. Mark 7:10 Lit die the death
  5. Mark 7:11 Or a gift, i.e. an offering
  6. Mark 7:16 Early mss do not contain this verse
  7. Mark 7:19 Lit goes out into the latrine
  8. Mark 7:21 I.e. acts of sexual immorality
  9. Mark 7:22 Lit an evil eye
  10. Mark 7:22 Or arrogance
  11. Mark 7:24 Two early mss add and Sidon
  12. Mark 7:24 Lit and
  13. Mark 7:26 Lit Greek
  14. Mark 7:27 Or proper
  15. Mark 7:29 Lit word
  16. Mark 7:30 Lit thrown
  17. Mark 7:35 Or bond
  18. Mark 7:35 Lit was loosed

That Which Defiles(A)

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled,(B) that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.(C) When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.[a])(D)

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders(E) instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’[b](F)

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”(G)

And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe[c] your own traditions!(H) 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[d](I) and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[e](J) 11 But you say(K) that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God(L) by your tradition(M) that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [16] [f]

17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him(N) about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods(O) clean.)(P)

20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed,(Q) malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith(R)

24 Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.[g](S) He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit(T) came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27 “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

28 “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

29 Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man(U)

31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre(V) and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee(W) and into the region of the Decapolis.[h](X) 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk,(Y) and they begged Jesus to place his hand on(Z) him.

33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit(AA) and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven(AB) and with a deep sigh(AC) said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.(AD)

36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.(AE) But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:4 Some early manuscripts pitchers, kettles and dining couches
  2. Mark 7:7 Isaiah 29:13
  3. Mark 7:9 Some manuscripts set up
  4. Mark 7:10 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16
  5. Mark 7:10 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9
  6. Mark 7:16 Some manuscripts include here the words of 4:23.
  7. Mark 7:24 Many early manuscripts Tyre and Sidon
  8. Mark 7:31 That is, the Ten Cities