Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity

One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands,[a] as required by their ancient traditions. Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands[b] in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.[c])

So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”

Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce,
    for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’[d]

For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’[e] and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’[f] 11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’[g] 12 In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”

14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 15 It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.[h]

17 Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used. 18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

20 And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

The Faith of a Gentile Woman

24 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre.[i] He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. 25 Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil[j] spirit, 26 and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.

Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, 27 Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews.[k] It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

28 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.”

29 “Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

31 Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns.[l] 32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him.

33 Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue. 34 Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” 35 Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!

36 Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. 37 They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”

Footnotes

  1. 7:3 Greek have washed with the fist.
  2. 7:4a Some manuscripts read sprinkle themselves.
  3. 7:4b Some manuscripts add and dining couches.
  4. 7:7 Isa 29:13 (Greek version).
  5. 7:10a Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16.
  6. 7:10b Exod 21:17 (Greek version); Lev 20:9 (Greek version).
  7. 7:11 Greek ‘What I would have given to you is Corban’ (that is, a gift).
  8. 7:15 Some manuscripts add verse 16, Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. Compare 4:9, 23.
  9. 7:24 Some manuscripts add and Sidon.
  10. 7:25 Greek unclean.
  11. 7:27 Greek Let the children eat first.
  12. 7:31 Greek Decapolis.

· kai The ho Pharisees Pharisaios and kai some tis of the ho scribes grammateus who had come erchomai from apo Jerusalem Hierosolyma gathered synagō around pros Jesus autos and kai noticed that hoti some tis of ho his autos disciples mathētēs were eating esthiō the ho loaves artos with hands cheir that were defiled koinos, that houtos is eimi, unwashed aniptos. ( For gar the ho Pharisees Pharisaios and kai all pas the ho Jews Ioudaios do esthiō not ou eat esthiō unless ean mē they ceremonially pygmē wash niptō their ho hands cheir, thus maintaining krateō the ho tradition paradosis of the ho elders presbyteros. · kai They do esthiō not ou eat esthiō anything from apo the marketplace agora unless ean mē it is purified baptizō by washing . And kai there are eimi many polys other allos customs that hos they have received paralambanō as tradition to keep krateō, like the washing baptismos of cups potērion, · kai pots xestēs, · kai copper chalkion bowls , and kai dining klinē couches .) And kai the ho Pharisees Pharisaios and kai · ho scribes grammateus asked eperōtaō him autos, “ Why dia tis do your sy disciples mathētēs not ou walk peripateō · ho according kata to the ho tradition paradosis of the ho elders presbyteros, but alla eat esthiō their ho bread artos with defiled koinos hands cheir?” And de he ho said legō to them autos, “ Isaiah ēsaias prophesied prophēteuō accurately kalōs about peri you hymeis · ho hypocrites hypokritēs, as hōs it is written graphō: ‘ This houtos · ho people laos honors timaō me egō with their ho lips cheilos, · ho but de their autos heart kardia is apechō far porrō from apo me egō. In vain matēn · de do they worship sebō me egō, teaching didaskō as doctrines didaskalia the precepts entalma of men anthrōpos.’ Neglecting aphiēmi the ho command entolē of ho God theos, you maintain krateō the ho tradition paradosis of ho men anthrōpos.”

And kai he said legō to them autos, “You are clever kalōs at setting atheteō aside the ho command entolē of ho God theos in order hina to · ho establish histēmi your own hymeis tradition paradosis. 10 For gar Moses Mōysēs said legō, ‘ Honor timaō · ho your sy father patēr and kai · ho your sy mother mētēr,’ and kai, ‘ Whoever ho speaks kakologeō evil of father patēr or ē mother mētēr must be put teleutaō to death thanatos.’ 11 But de you hymeis say legō, ‘ If ean a man anthrōpos says legō to his ho father patēr or ē · ho mother mētēr, “ Whatever hos ean help you might have received ōpheleō from ek me egō is Corban korban” ( that hos is eimi, given dōron to God), 12 then you no ouketi longer allow aphiēmi him autos to do poieō anything oudeis for his ho father patēr or ē · ho mother mētēr. 13 Thus you invalidate akyroō the ho word logos of ho God theos with ho your hymeis tradition paradosis that hos you have handed paradidōmi down . And kai you do poieō many polys similar paromoios things toioutos.”

14 · kai Calling proskaleō the ho crowd ochlos to him again palin, he said legō to them autos, “ Listen akouō to me egō, everyone pas, and kai understand syniēmi. 15 There is eimi nothing oudeis from outside exōthen a ho man anthrōpos that enters eisporeuomai him autos that hos is able dynamai to defile koinoō him autos. Rather alla the ho things that come out ekporeuomai of ek a ho man anthrōpos are eimi the ho things that defile koinoō · ho him anthrōpos.”

17 And kai when hote Jesus entered eiserchomai eis the house oikos away apo from the ho crowd ochlos, his autos disciples mathētēs asked eperōtaō him autos · ho about the ho parable parabolē. 18 So kai he said legō to them autos, “ Are eimi you hymeis too kai so houtōs lacking asynetos in understanding ? Do you not ou know noeō that hoti whatever pas comes eisporeuomai into eis a man anthrōpos · ho from outside exōthen · ho is not ou able dynamai to defile koinoō him autos, 19 because hoti it does not ou enter eisporeuomai his autos · ho heart kardia, but alla his ho stomach koilia, and kai goes out ekporeuomai into eis the ho latrine aphedrōn?” ( Thus he declared katharizō all pas · ho foods brōma clean .) 20 And de he said legō, “ What ho comes out ekporeuomai of ek a ho person anthrōpos, that ekeinos is what defiles koinoō · ho him anthrōpos. 21 For gar from within esōthen, from ek the ho heart kardia of ho a person anthrōpos, come ekporeuomai evil kakos · ho plots dialogismos, · ho immoralities porneia, thefts klopē, murders phonos, 22 adulteries moicheia, greedy pleonexia actions , wicked ponēria deeds , deceit dolos, sensuality aselgeia, selfishness ophthalmos, slander blasphēmia, arrogance hyperēphania, lack of moral sense aphrosynē. 23 All pas these houtos · ho evil ponēros things come ekporeuomai from within esōthen, and kai they defile koinoō a ho person anthrōpos.”

24 From there ekeithen · de Jesus arose anistēmi and went aperchomai to eis the ho region horion of Tyre Tyros. · kai He entered eiserchomai a house oikia and wanted thelō no oudeis one to know ginōskō about it, yet kai he was not ou able dynamai to escape attention lanthanō. 25 But alla immediately after hearing akouō of peri him autos, a woman gynē whose hos daughter thugatrion had echō · ho an unclean akathartos spirit pneuma came erchomai and fell prospiptō at pros · ho his autos feet pous. 26 The ho · de woman gynē was eimi a Greek Hellēnis, a Syrophoenician Syrophoinikissa by ho birth genos. · kai She begged erōtaō Jesus autos to hina drive out ekballō the ho demon daimonion from ek · ho her autos daughter thugatēr. 27 · kai He said legō to her autos, “ Let aphiēmi the ho children teknon first prōton be fed chortazō, for gar it is eimi not ou right kalos to take lambanō the ho children’ s teknon bread artos · ho and kai throw ballō it to the ho dogs kynarion.” 28 · ho But de she answered apokrinomai him autos, · kai saying legō, “ Lord kyrios, even kai the ho dogs kynarion under hypokatō the ho table trapeza feed esthiō from apo the ho children’ s paidion crumbs psichion.” · ho 29 And kai he said legō to her autos, “ Because dia of this houtos · ho reply logos, you may go hypagō; the ho demon daimonion has left exerchomai · ho your sy daughter thugatēr.” 30 And kai when she arrived aperchomai at eis · ho her autos house oikos, she found heuriskō the ho child paidion lying ballō on epi the ho bed klinē, · kai the ho demon daimonion having departed exerchomai.

31 · kai Departing exerchomai again palin from ek the ho region horion of Tyre Tyros, Jesus went erchomai through dia Sidon Sidōn to eis the ho Sea thalassa of ho Galilee Galilaia, in ana the midst mesos of the ho region horion of the Decapolis Dekapolis. 32 And kai they brought pherō to him autos a deaf kōphos man · kai who could hardly speak mogilalos, and kai they begged parakaleō him autos to hina lay epitithēmi his ho hand cheir on him autos. 33 · kai Taking apolambanō him autos aside from apo the ho crowd ochlos privately kata idios, Jesus put ballō · ho his autos fingers daktylos into eis the ho man’ s autos ears ous, and kai after spitting ptyō, he touched haptō · ho his autos tongue glōssa. 34 · kai Looking anablepō up to eis · ho heaven ouranos, he gave a deep sigh stenazō and kai said legō to him autos, “ Ephphatha ephphatha!” ( that hos is eimi, “ Be opened dianoigō”). 35 And kai immediately eutheōs the man’ s autos ears akoē were opened anoigō, · ho · kai that ho which bound desmos his autos tongue glōssa was loosened lyō, · ho and kai he began to speak laleō clearly orthōs. 36 · kai Jesus ordered diastellō them autos to hina tell legō no one mēdeis, but de the more hosos he ordered diastellō them autos, the more perissoteros they autos spread kēryssō the news . 37 · kai They were absolutely hyperperissōs astonished ekplēssō, saying legō, “ He has done poieō all things pas well kalōs. · kai He makes poieō the ho deaf kōphos to hear akouō and kai the ho mute alalos to speak laleō!”