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Now there gathered together to [Jesus] the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem,

For they had seen that some of His disciples ate with [a]common hands, that is, unwashed [with hands defiled and unhallowed, because they had not given them a [b]ceremonial washing]—

For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat unless [merely for ceremonial reasons] they wash their hands [diligently [c]up to the elbow] with clenched fist, adhering [carefully and faithfully] to the tradition of [practices and customs handed down to them by] their forefathers [to be observed].

And [when they come] from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions [oral, man-made laws handed down to them, which they observe faithfully and diligently, such as], the washing of cups and wooden pitchers and widemouthed jugs and utensils of copper and [d]beds—

And the Pharisees and scribes kept asking [Jesus], Why do Your disciples not order their way of living according to the tradition handed down by the forefathers [to be observed], but eat with hands unwashed and ceremonially not purified?

But He said to them, Excellently and truly [[e]so that there will be no room for blame] did Isaiah prophesy of you, the pretenders and hypocrites, as it stands written: These people [constantly] honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far distant from Me.

In vain (fruitlessly and without profit) do they worship Me, ordering and teaching [to be obeyed] as doctrines the commandments and precepts of men.(A)

You disregard and give up and ask to depart from you the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men [keeping it carefully and faithfully].

And He said to them, You have a fine way of rejecting [thus thwarting and nullifying and doing away with] the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition (your own human regulations)!

10 For Moses said, Honor (revere with tenderness of feeling and deference) your father and your mother, and, He who curses or reviles or speaks evil of or abuses or treats improperly his father or mother, let him surely die.(B)

11 But [as for you] you say, A man is exempt if he tells [his] father or [his] mother, What you would otherwise have gained from me [everything I have that would have been of use to you] is Corban, that is, is a gift [already given as an offering to God],

12 Then you no longer are permitting him to do anything for [his] father or mother [but are letting him off from helping them].

13 Thus you are nullifying and making void and of no effect [the authority of] the Word of God through your tradition, which you [in turn] hand on. And many things of this kind you are doing.

14 And He called the people to [Him] again and said to them, Listen to Me, all of you, and understand [what I say].

15 There is not [even] one thing outside a man which by going into him can pollute and defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him and make him unhallowed and unclean.

16 [f]If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening [and let him [g]perceive and comprehend by hearing].

17 And when He had left the crowd and had gone into the house, His disciples began asking Him about the parable.

18 And He said to them, Then are you also unintelligent and dull and without understanding? Do you not discern and see that whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot make him unhallowed or unclean,

19 Since it does not reach and enter his heart but [only his] digestive tract, and so passes on [into the place designed to receive waste]? Thus He was making and declaring all foods [ceremonially] clean [that is, [h]abolishing the ceremonial distinctions of the Levitical Law].

20 And He said, What comes out of a man is what makes a man unclean and renders [him] unhallowed.

21 For from within, [that is] out of the hearts of men, come base and wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery,

22 Coveting (a greedy desire to have more wealth), dangerous and destructive wickedness, deceit; [i]unrestrained (indecent) conduct; an evil eye (envy), slander (evil speaking, malicious misrepresentation, abusiveness), pride ([j]the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man), foolishness (folly, lack of sense, recklessness, thoughtlessness).

23 All these evil [purposes and desires] come from within, and they make the man unclean and render him unhallowed.

24 And Jesus arose and went away from there to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He went into a house and did not want anyone to know [that He was there]; but it was not possible for Him to be hidden [from public notice].

25 Instead, at once, a woman whose little daughter had (was under the control of) an unclean spirit heard about Him and came and flung herself down at His feet.

26 Now the woman was a Greek (Gentile), a Syrophoenician by nationality. And she kept begging Him to drive the demon out of her little daughter.

27 And He said to her, First let the children be fed, for it is not becoming or proper or right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the [little house] dogs.

28 But she answered Him, Yes, Lord, yet even the small pups under the table eat the little children’s scraps of food.

29 And He said to her, Because of this saying, you may go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter [permanently].

30 And she went home and found the child thrown on the couch, and the demon departed.

31 Soon after this, Jesus, coming back from the region of Tyre, passed through Sidon on to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of Decapolis [the ten cities].

32 And they brought to Him a man who was deaf and had difficulty in speaking, and they begged Jesus to place His hand upon him.

33 And taking him aside from the crowd [privately], He thrust His fingers into the man’s ears and spat and touched his tongue;

34 And looking up to heaven, He sighed as He said, Ephphatha, which means, Be opened!

35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak distinctly and as he should.

36 And Jesus [[k]in His own interest] admonished and ordered them sternly and expressly to tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.

37 And they were overwhelmingly astonished, saying, He has done everything excellently (commendably and nobly)! He even makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak!

Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:2 William Tyndale, The Tyndale Bible.
  2. Mark 7:2 Charles B. Williams, The New Testament: A Translation.
  3. Mark 7:3 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
  4. Mark 7:4 James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary and Robert Young, Analytical Concordance agree with most lexicons in reading “beds” here. Some manuscripts end verse 4 after “utensils of copper.”
  5. Mark 7:6 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  6. Mark 7:16 Many manuscripts do not contain this verse.
  7. Mark 7:16 G. Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon.
  8. Mark 7:19 W. Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor’s Greek New Testament.
  9. Mark 7:22 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.
  10. Mark 7:22 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  11. Mark 7:36 Kenneth Wuest, Word Studies: The Greek uses the middle voice here to show that the charge is given with the speaker’s personal interest in view.

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

Las tradiciones de los antepasados (Mt 15,1-20)

Se acercaron a Jesús los fariseos y unos maestros de la ley llegados de Jerusalén y vieron que algunos discípulos de Jesús comían con las manos impuras, esto es, sin habérselas lavado. (Porque los fariseos y demás judíos, siguiendo la tradición de sus antepasados, no comen sin antes haberse lavado las manos cuidadosamente. Así, cuando vuelven del mercado, no comen si antes no se lavan. Y guardan también otras muchas costumbres rituales, tales como lavar las copas, las ollas, las vasijas metálicas y hasta las camas). Preguntaron, pues, a Jesús aquellos fariseos y maestros de la ley:

— ¿Por qué tus discípulos no respetan la tradición de nuestros antepasados? ¿Por qué se ponen a comer con las manos impuras?

Jesús les contestó:

— ¡Hipócritas! Bien profetizó Isaías acerca de ustedes cuando escribió:

Este pueblo me honra de labios afuera,
pero su corazón está muy lejos de mí.
Inútilmente me rinden culto,
pues enseñan doctrinas
que sólo son preceptos humanos.

Ustedes se apartan de los mandatos de Dios por seguir las tradiciones humanas.

Y añadió:

— Así que, por mantener sus propias tradiciones, se despreocupan completamente de lo que Dios ha mandado. 10 Porque Moisés dijo: Honra a tu padre y a tu madre; y también: El que maldiga a su padre o a su madre será condenado a muerte. 11 En cambio, ustedes afirman que si alguno dice a su padre o a su madre: “Lo que tenía reservado para ayudarte, lo he convertido en corbán, es decir, en ofrenda para el Templo”, 12 queda liberado de la obligación de prestarles ayuda. 13 De este modo, con esas tradiciones de ustedes que se pasan de unos a otros, anulan lo que Dios había dispuesto. Además hacen otras muchas cosas parecidas a estas.

14 Y recabando de nuevo la atención de la gente, les dijo:

— Óiganme todos y entiendan esto: 15 Nada externo al ser humano puede hacerlo impuro. Lo que realmente hace impuro a uno es lo que sale del corazón. 16 [Quien pueda entender esto, que lo entienda].

17 Luego, cuando Jesús se apartó de la gente y entró en casa, sus discípulos le preguntaron por el significado de lo que había dicho. 18 Él les contestó:

— ¿Así que tampoco ustedes son capaces de entenderlo? ¿No comprenden que nada de lo que entra de afuera en el ser humano puede hacerlo impuro, 19 porque no entra en su corazón, sino en su vientre, y va a parar a la letrina?

Con esto, Jesús declaraba limpios todos los alimentos. 20 Y añadió:

— Lo que sale del interior, eso es lo que hace impura a una persona; 21 porque del fondo del corazón humano proceden las malas intenciones, las inmoralidades sexuales, los robos, los asesinatos, 22 los adulterios, la avaricia, la maldad, la falsedad, el desenfreno, la envidia, la blasfemia, el orgullo y la estupidez. 23 Todas estas son las maldades que salen de adentro y hacen impura a una persona.

La mujer sirofenicia (Mt 15,21-28)

24 Jesús se fue de aquel lugar y se trasladó a la región de Tiro. Entró en una casa, y quería pasar inadvertido, pero no pudo ocultarse. 25 Una mujer, cuya hija estaba poseída por un espíritu impuro, supo muy pronto que Jesús estaba allí y vino a arrodillarse a sus pies. 26 La mujer era griega, de origen sirofenicio, y rogaba a Jesús que expulsara al demonio que atormentaba a su hija. 27 Jesús le contestó:

— Deja primero que los hijos se sacien, pues no está bien quitarles el pan a los hijos para echárselo a los perros.

28 Ella le respondió:

— Es cierto, Señor; pero también es cierto que los cachorrillos que están debajo de la mesa comen las migajas que se les caen a los hijos.

29 Jesús, entonces, le dijo:

— Por eso que has dicho puedes irte, pues el demonio ya ha salido de tu hija.

30 La mujer regresó a su casa y encontró a su hija acostada en la cama y libre del demonio.

Curación de un sordomudo

31 Jesús salió de nuevo de la región de Tiro y, pasando por Sidón, se dirigió al lago de Galilea a través del territorio de la Decápolis. 32 Estando allí, le llevaron un hombre que era sordo y tartamudo, y le rogaron que pusiera su mano sobre él. 33 Jesús se llevó al hombre aparte de la gente y, cuando ya estaban solos, le metió los dedos en los oídos y le tocó la lengua con saliva. 34 Luego, mirando al cielo, suspiró y exclamó:

— ¡Effata! (que significa “¡Ábrete!”).

35 Al punto se abrieron los oídos del sordo, se le desató la lengua y pudo hablar correctamente. 36 Jesús mandó a los presentes que no contaran a nadie lo sucedido; pero cuanto más se lo mandaba, más lo divulgaban. 37 Y la gente decía llena de asombro:

— Este lo ha hecho todo bien: hace que los sordos oigan y que los mudos hablen.

Defilement Comes from Within(A)

Then (B)the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. Now [a]when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with (C)unwashed hands, [b]they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands [c]in a special way, holding the (D)tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

(E)Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”

He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you (F)hypocrites, as it is written:

(G)‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—[d]the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

He said to them, All too well (H)you [e]reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, (I)‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, (J)‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, (K)“Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

14 (L)When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and (M)understand: 15 There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that (N)defile a man. 16 (O)If[f] anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

17 (P)When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18 So He said to them, (Q)“Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, [g]thus purifying all foods?” 20 And He said, (R)“What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 (S)For from within, out of the heart of men, (T)proceed evil thoughts, (U)adulteries, (V)fornications, murders, 22 thefts, (W)covetousness, wickedness, (X)deceit, (Y)lewdness, an evil eye, (Z)blasphemy, (AA)pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

A Gentile Shows Her Faith(AB)

24 (AC)From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre [h]and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be (AD)hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and (AE)fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a [i]Greek, a [j]Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept [k]asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”

29 Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”

30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

Jesus Heals a Deaf-Mute(AF)

31 (AG)Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then (AH)they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and (AI)He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, (AJ)looking up to heaven, (AK)He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”

35 (AL)Immediately his ears were opened, and the [l]impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then (AM)He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And they were (AN)astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He (AO)makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:2 NU omits when
  2. Mark 7:2 NU omits they found fault
  3. Mark 7:3 Lit. with the fist
  4. Mark 7:8 NU omits the rest of v. 8.
  5. Mark 7:9 set aside
  6. Mark 7:16 NU omits v. 16.
  7. Mark 7:19 NU sets off the final phrase as Mark’s comment that Jesus has declared all foods clean.
  8. Mark 7:24 NU omits and Sidon
  9. Mark 7:26 Gentile
  10. Mark 7:26 A Syrian of Phoenicia
  11. Mark 7:26 begging
  12. Mark 7:35 Lit. bond