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

Wat Da Peopo Teach Long Time Ago

Den some Pharisee guys an teacha guys dat teach Godʼs Rules wen go from Jerusalem by Jesus. Dey spock Jesus guys, how dey eat. Befo dey eat, dey no wash dea hands da way da Pharisee guys say dey gotta wash um.

You know, da Pharisee guys an all da Jewish peopo, dey no eat till dey wash dea hands. But dey suppose to wash um jalike da ancesta guys wen teach from long time ago. Wen dey come back from da market, dey no eat till dey wash dea hands dat way. Get plenny odda stuffs dey gotta do lidat. First, dey gotta wash da cups, da pitchas, an da pots jus right, da way dea ancesta guys wen teach um, so den dey can pray.

So da Pharisee guys an da teacha guys dat teach Godʼs Rules, dey tell Jesus, “Eh, da guys you teaching, no good how dey do! How come dey no live da way da ancesta guys wen teach from long time ago? Dey no wash dea hands dat way befo dey eat!”

Jesus tell um, “Da guy Isaiah wen talk fo God long time ago, an fo shua he talking bout you guys! Cuz you guys say one ting an do anodda. Isaiah wen write dis:

‘God say: Dese peopo, dey say dey get respeck fo me,
    But inside dea heart dey stay far from me.
Dey go down an pray to me,
    But dey ony wase time.
Wat dey teach,
    Dass ony wat some peopo say we gotta do.’ ”

Jesus say, “You guys no like do wat God stay tell you. You guys ony do wat odda peopo wen teach you.”

An he tell um, “You guys jalike da sly mongoose, yeah?! You guys know how fo dump Godʼs Rules, so you guys can stick wit wat some peopo wen teach you long time ago. 10 Moses wen tell, ‘Show respeck fo yoa fadda an mudda.’ He say dis too: ‘Whoeva swear at his fadda o mudda, gotta kill him.’

11 “But you teacha guys say, ‘If one guy get someting dat he can use um fo help his fadda o mudda, he can say to dem, “I no goin use um fo help you guys, cuz bumbye I goin give um to God.” ’ 12 Den you guys say da guy no need help his fadda o mudda. 13 You guys make no good wat God wen say, so you can stick wit da kine stuff yoa ancesta guys wen teach from long time ago. You guys do plenny odda tings lidat, an teach da odda peopo fo do um too.”

Wat Make You Pilau Inside, So You No Can Pray

14 Den Jesus wen tell da peopo, “Come. Listen an try undastan. 15 Wat you guys put inside yoa mout no mean you pilau inside so you no can pray, but wat come outa yoa mout, dass wat make you pilau inside so you no can pray. 16 If you wen hear dat, den listen!”

17 Latas he wen go way from da peopo, an go inside one house, an da guys he teaching come an say, “Try tell us wat da ting mean dat he wen tell um.” 18 He tell um, “Wot! You guys still yet no can undastan? You jalike da odda peopo! You gotta figga dis way: Wateva go inside da guy no can make him pilau inside so he no can pray. 19 Cuz dat ting no go inside da heart, but go inside da stomach, an bumbye come out.” (Wen Jesus say dat, he make um okay fo eat any kine stuff.)

20 Den Jesus say, “Da kine stuff dat come outa one guy, dass wat make him pilau inside so he no can pray. 21 Get all kine bad kine stuff come out from inside da heart. Dass how everybody figga how dey can do bad kine stuff; dey not married an dey still yet go fool aroun; dey rip off da odda peopo; dey kill; dey married an still yet go fool aroun; 22 dey like corral everyting fo demself; dey feel good wen dey do bad; dey like bulai da odda guy; dey no mo shame fo any kine; bodda dem wen da odda guy get someting good; dey talk stink bout da odda peopo; dey get big head; dey ack stupid cuz dey no like tink. 23 All dat bad kine stuff, dass wat come from inside da heart. Az why peopo stay pilau inside an dey no can pray.”

One Wahine Trus Jesus

24 From dea Jesus go Tyre side. He wen go inside one house, an he no like nobody know wea he stay. But no can. Everybody wen find out. Get one wahine, from da Fonicia peopo, Syria side. She Greek, not Jewish, from da kine peopo dat da Jews call “dogs.” Her litto girl get one bad kine spirit dat wen take ova her, an make her do all kine stuff. Da mudda wen hear bout Jesus, an right den an dea she wen go by him. She wen go down by his feet, an beg him fo make da bad kine spirit let go her girl.

27 Jesus say, “First, gotta feed da kids, you know. No good take da food from da kids an throw um down to da dogs.”

28 She say, “Dass right, Boss. But even da dogs unda da table eat wat fall down from da table, yeah?”

29 Jesus tell her, “Wow! You trus me fo real kine! You can hele on home. Da bad kine spirit gone awready from yoa girl!”

30 So she go back home. Dea was da girl. She resting on top da bed, an no mo bad kine spirit.

Jesus Make One Guy Come Good

31 Jesus wen hele on from Tyre side, an go thru Sidon. Den he go Galilee Lake near da Ten Towns. 32 Dey bring one guy who no can hear o talk right. Dey beg Jesus fo put his hands on top da guy. 33 Jesus take him by da side wea neva have nobody. Den he wen stick his finga inside da guyʼs ears, an spit, an touch da guyʼs tongue. 34 Jesus wen look up to da sky, an moan, an say, “Efata!” Dat mean, “Open up!” 35 An right den an dea da guyʼs ears an his tongue come okay, an he can talk good.

36 Jesus tell dem guys, “No tell nobody bout dis!” But da mo he say dat, da mo dey was telling. 37 All dis really wen blow da peopoʼs minds. Dey say, “Dis guy, he really do everyting good! He even make da peopo who no can hear, hear, an da peopo who no can talk, talk!”

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

Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:

15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.