Followers of Tradition

(A)The Pharisees and some of the scribes *gathered to Him after they came (B)from Jerusalem, and saw that some of His disciples were eating their bread with [a](C)unholy hands, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the other Jews do not eat unless they [b]carefully wash their hands, thereby holding firmly to the (D)tradition of the elders; and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they [c]completely cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received as traditions to firmly hold, such as the [d]washing of (E)cups, pitchers, and copper pots.) And the Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk in accordance with the (F)tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with (G)[e]unholy hands?” But He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

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

Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the (J)tradition of men.”

He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your (K)tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘(L)Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘(M)The one who speaks evil of father or mother, is [f]certainly to be put to death’; 11 but you say, ‘If a person says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is (N)Corban (that is, [g]given to God),’ 12 you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thereby invalidating the word of God by your (O)tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

The Heart of Man

14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the person which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which come out of the person are what defile the person[h].”

17 And when He later entered a house, away from the crowd, (P)His disciples asked Him about the parable. 18 And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding as well? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and [i]is eliminated?” (Thereby He declared (Q)all foods (R)clean.) 20 And He was saying, (S)That which comes out of the person, that is what defiles the person. 21 For from within, out of the [j]hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, 22 deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, [k](T)envy, slander, [l]pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile the person.”

The Syrophoenician Woman

24 (U)Now Jesus got up and went from there to the region of (V)Tyre[m]. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know about it; and yet He could not escape notice. 25 But after hearing about Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. 26 Now the woman was a [n]Gentile, of Syrophoenician descent. And she repeatedly asked Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not [o]good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the [p]dogs.” 28 But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” 29 And He said to her, “Because of this [q]answer, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And after going back to her home, she found the child [r]lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

31 (W)Again He left the region of (X)Tyre and came through Sidon to (Y)the Sea of Galilee, within the region of (Z)Decapolis. 32 And they *brought to Him one who was deaf and had difficulty speaking, and they *begged Him to (AA)lay His hand on him. 33 And Jesus (AB)took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers in his ears, and after (AC)spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; 34 and looking up to heaven with a deep (AD)sigh, He *said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” 35 And his ears were opened, and the [s]impediment of his tongue was [t]removed, and he began speaking plainly. 36 And (AE)He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they (AF)continued to proclaim it. 37 And they were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even those who are deaf hear, and those who are unable to talk, speak.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:2 Lit common; i.e., ritually unclean
  2. Mark 7:3 Lit with a fist (following a prescribed ritual)
  3. Mark 7:4 Lit baptize; i.e., immerse; two early mss purify
  4. Mark 7:4 Lit baptisms
  5. Mark 7:5 Lit common; i.e., ritually unclean
  6. Mark 7:10 Lit to die with death
  7. Mark 7:11 Lit a gift; i.e., an offering
  8. Mark 7:15 Late mss add, as v 16: If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
  9. Mark 7:19 Lit goes out into the latrine
  10. Mark 7:21 heart
  11. Mark 7:22 Lit an evil eye
  12. Mark 7:22 Or arrogance
  13. Mark 7:24 Two early mss add and Sidon
  14. Mark 7:26 Lit Greek
  15. Mark 7:27 Or proper
  16. Mark 7:27 I.e., pet dogs
  17. Mark 7:29 Lit word
  18. Mark 7:30 Lit thrown
  19. Mark 7:35 Lit bond
  20. Mark 7:35 Lit undone

And gathered together unto him are the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, having come from Jerusalem,

and having seen certain of his disciples with defiled hands -- that is, unwashed -- eating bread, they found fault;

for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, if they do not wash the hands to the wrist, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders,

and, [coming] from the market-place, if they do not baptize themselves, they do not eat; and many other things there are that they received to hold, baptisms of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and couches.

Then question him do the Pharisees and the scribes, `Wherefore do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but with unwashed hands do eat the bread?'

and he answering said to them -- `Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, hypocrites, as it hath been written, This people with the lips doth honor Me, and their heart is far from Me;

and in vain do they worship Me, teaching teachings, commands of men;

for, having put away the command of God, ye hold the tradition of men, baptisms of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do.'

And he said to them, `Well do ye put away the command of God that your tradition ye may keep;

10 for Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother -- let him die the death;

11 and ye say, If a man may say to father or to mother, Korban (that is, a gift), [is] whatever thou mayest be profited out of mine,

12 and no more do ye suffer him to do anything for his father or for his mother,

13 setting aside the word of God for your tradition that ye delivered; and many such like things ye do.'

14 And having called near all the multitude, he said to them, `Hearken to me, ye all, and understand;

15 there is nothing from without the man entering into him that is able to defile him, but the things coming out from him, those are the things defiling the man.

16 If any hath ears to hear -- let him hear.'

17 And when he entered into a house from the multitude, his disciples were questioning him about the simile,

18 and he saith to them, `So also ye are without understanding! Do ye not perceive that nothing from without entering into the man is able to defile him?

19 because it doth not enter into his heart, but into the belly, and into the drain it doth go out, purifying all the meats.'

20 And he said -- `That which is coming out from the man, that doth defile the man;

21 for from within, out of the heart of men, the evil reasonings do come forth, adulteries, whoredoms, murders,

22 thefts, covetous desires, wickedness, deceit, arrogance, an evil eye, evil speaking, pride, foolishness;

23 all these evils do come forth from within, and they defile the man.'

24 And from thence having risen, he went away to the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and having entered into the house, he wished none to know, and he was not able to be hid,

25 for a woman having heard about him, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having come, fell at his feet, --

26 and the woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phenician by nation -- and was asking him, that the demon he may cast forth out of her daughter.

27 And Jesus said to her, `Suffer first the children to be filled, for it is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] to the little dogs.'

28 And she answered and saith to him, `Yes, sir; for the little dogs also under the table do eat of the children's crumbs.'

29 And he said to her, `Because of this word go; the demon hath gone forth out of thy daughter;'

30 and having come away to her house, she found the demon gone forth, and the daughter laid upon the couch.

31 And again, having gone forth 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 to him a deaf, stuttering man, and they call on him that he may put the hand on him.

33 And having taken him away from the multitude by himself, he put his fingers to his ears, and having spit, he touched his tongue,

34 and having looked to the heaven, he sighed, and saith to him, `Ephphatha,' that is, `Be thou opened;'

35 and immediately were his ears opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he was speaking plain.

36 And he charged them that they may tell no one, but the more he was charging them, the more abundantly they were proclaiming [it],

37 and they were being beyond measure astonished, saying, `Well hath he done all things; both the deaf he doth make to hear, and the dumb to speak.'