Mark 7:1-8:21

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 bread with unclean^(E)—that is, unwashed—hands. ³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, 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, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches.^[a](H)) ⁵ So the Pharisees^(I) and the scribes^(J) asked him, “Why don’t your disciples live^[b] according to the tradition of the elders,^(K) instead of eating bread with ceremonially unclean^[c] hands?”

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

⁸ Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.”^{[e] 9} He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up^[f] your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses^(T) said: Honor your father and your mother; ^[g](U) and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.^{[h](V) 11} But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit^(W) you might have received from me is corban’” (that is, an offering^(X) devoted to God), ¹² “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. ¹³ You nullify the word of God^(Y) by your tradition that you have handed^(Z) down. And you do many other similar things.”

¹⁴ Summoning^(AA) the crowd again, he told them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand:^{(AB) 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.”^[i]

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

A Gentile Mother’s Faith

²⁴ He got up and departed from^(AN) there to the region of Tyre.^[k](AO) 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^(AP) came and fell at his feet.^{(AQ) 26} The woman was a Gentile,^[l](AR) a Syrophoenician by birth, and she was asking him to cast the demon^(AS) out of her daughter. ²⁷ He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, because it isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”^(AT)

²⁸ But she replied to him, “Lord,^(AU) 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 left 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,^(AV) he went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,^(AW) through^[m] the region of the Decapolis.^{(AX) 32} They brought to him a deaf^(AY) man who had difficulty speaking^(AZ) and begged Jesus to lay his hand on^(BA) him. ³³ So he took him away from the crowd in private. After putting his fingers in the man’s ears and spitting,^(BB) he touched his tongue. ³⁴ Looking up to heaven,^(BC) he sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!”^[n] (that is, “Be opened!”). ³⁵ Immediately his ears were opened,^(BD) his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly.^{(BE) 36} He ordered them to tell no one,^(BF) but the more he ordered them, the more they proclaimed it.^(BG)

³⁷ They were extremely astonished and said, “He has done everything well.^(BH) He even makes the deaf^(BI) hear and the mute speak.”^(BJ)

Feeding Four Thousand

8 In^(BK) those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He called^(BL) the disciples^(BM) and said to them, ² “I have compassion^(BN) on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way,^(BO) 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 feed^(BP) these people?”

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

“Seven,” they said. ⁶ He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, he gave thanks, broke^(BQ) them, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. So they served them to the crowd. ⁷ They also had a few small fish, and after he had blessed them, he said these were to be served as well. ⁸ They ate and were satisfied. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. ⁹ About four thousand were there. He dismissed them. ¹⁰ And he immediately got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

¹¹ The^(BR) Pharisees^(BS) came and began to argue with him, demanding of him a sign^(BT) from heaven^(BU) to test^(BV) him. ¹² Sighing deeply in his spirit,^(BW) he said, “Why does this generation^(BX) demand a sign? Truly I tell you,^(BY) no sign will be given to this generation.” ¹³ Then he left them, got back into the boat, and went to the other side.

¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to take bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. ¹⁵ Then^(BZ) he gave them strict orders: “Watch out! Beware of the leaven^[o](CA) of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”^{(CB) 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 the fact you have no bread? Don’t you understand or comprehend? Do you have hardened hearts?^{(CC) 18} Do you have eyes and not see; do you have ears and not hear?^[p](CD) And do you not remember?^{(CE) 19} When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?”

“Twelve,” they told him.

²⁰ “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you collect?”

“Seven,” they said.

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