Mark 7
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)
This people honors(P) me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me.
7 They worship me in vain,
teaching(Q) as doctrines(R) human commands.[d](S)
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)
Footnotes
- 7:4 Other mss omit and dining couches
- 7:5 Lit walk
- 7:5 Other mss read with unwashed
- 7:6–7 Is 29:13
- 7:8 Other mss add The washing of jugs, and cups, and many other similar things you practice.
- 7:9 Or to maintain
- 7:10 Ex 20:12; Dt 5:16
- 7:10 Ex 21:17; Lv 20:9
- 7:15 Some mss include v. 16: “If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”
- 7:22 Or evil eye
- 7:24 Many early mss add and Sidon
- 7:26 Or a Greek (speaker)
- 7:31 Or into
- 7:34 An Aramaic expression
Mark 7
Revised Standard Version
The Tradition of the Elders
7 Now when the Pharisees gathered together to him, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands,[a] observing the tradition of the elders; 4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they purify[b] themselves;[c] and there are many other traditions which they observe, the washing of cups and pots and vessels of bronze.[d]) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live[e] according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
7 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’
8 You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.”
9 And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God, in order to keep your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die’; 11 but you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is Corban’ (that is, given to God)[f]— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God through your tradition which you hand on. And many such things you do.”
14 And he called the people to him again, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him.”[g] 17 And when he had entered the house, and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and so passes on?”[h] (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man.”
The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith
24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon.[i] And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid. 25 But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoeni′cian by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home, and found the child lying in bed, and the demon gone.
Jesus Cures a Deaf Man
31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decap′olis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech; and they besought him to lay his hand upon him. 33 And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Eph′phatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 And he charged them to tell no one; but the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well; he even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”
Footnotes
- Mark 7:3 One Greek word is of uncertain meaning and is not translated
- Mark 7:4 Other ancient authorities read baptize
- Mark 7:4 Other ancient authorities read and they do not eat anything from the market unless they purify it
- Mark 7:4 Other ancient authorities add and beds
- Mark 7:5 Greek walk
- Mark 7:11 Or an offering
- Mark 7:15 Other ancient authorities add verse 16, “If any man has ears to hear, let him hear”
- Mark 7:19 Or is evacuated
- Mark 7:24 Other ancient authorities omit and Sidon
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Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.