Mark 7
1 One day the Pharisees and some of the teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus.
And the Pharisees, and some of the scholars, having come from Jerusalem, gathered in to him.
2 They had noticed that some of his disciples ate their food with their hands “defiled,” by which they meant unwashed.
And having seen some of his disciples eating their loaves with profane hands, that is, unwashed, they accused them.
3 (For the Pharisees, and indeed all strict Jews, will not eat without first scrupulously washing their hands, holding in this to the traditions of their ancestors.
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands carefully, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders.
4 When they come from market, they will not eat without first sprinkling themselves; and there are many other customs which they have inherited and hold to, such as the ceremonial washing of cups, and jugs, and copper pans).
And coming from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they bathe. And there are many other things that they have taken in to retain: washings of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and beds.)
5 So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked Jesus this question – ‘How is it that your disciples do not follow the traditions of our ancestors, but eat their food with defiled hands?’
Then the Pharisees and the scholars demand of him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?
6 His answer was, ‘It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites in the words – “This is a people who honour me with their lips, while their hearts are far removed from me;
And having answered, he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far distant from me.
7 but vainly do they worship me, For they teach but human precepts.”
But in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
8 You neglect God’s commandments and hold to human traditions.
For having set aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men: washings of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do.
9 Wisely do you set aside God’s commandments,’ he exclaimed, ‘to keep your own traditions!
And he said to them, Well do ye reject the commandment of God, so that ye may keep your tradition.
10 For while Moses said “Honour your father and your mother,” and “Let anyone who abuses their father or mother suffer death,”
For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother, and, He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him perish in death.
11 you say “If a person says to their father or mother ‘Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is Corban’” (which means “Set apart for God”) –
But ye say, If a man should say to his father or mother, Whatever ye might be benefited from me is Corban, that is, an offering,
12 why, then you do not allow them to do anything further for their father or mother!
then ye no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother,
13 In this way you nullify the words of God by your traditions, which you hand down; and you do many similar things.’
annulling the word of God by your tradition that ye have delivered. And many such like things ye do.
14 Then Jesus called the people to him again, and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and mark my words.
And having summoned all the people, he said to them, Hear me all of you, and understand.
15 There is nothing external to a person, which by going into them can defile them; but the things that come out of a person are the things that defile them.’
There is nothing outside the man, entering into him that can defile him, but the things coming out of him those are the things that defile the man.
If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.
17 When Jesus went indoors, away from the crowd, his disciples began questioning him about this saying.
And when he entered into a house from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable.
18 ‘What, do even you understand so little?’ exclaimed Jesus. ‘Don’t you see that there is nothing external to a person, which by going into a person, can defile them,
And he says to them, Are also ye so without understanding? Do ye not perceive that everything outside that enters into the man cannot defile him,
19 because it does not pass into his heart, but into his stomach, and is afterwards got rid of?’ – in saying this Jesus pronounced all food clean.
because it does not enter into his heart, but into the belly, and goes out into the toilet (making all foods clean)?
20 ‘It is what comes out from a person,’ he added, ‘that defiles them,
And he said, That which comes out of the man, that defiles the man.
21 for it is from within, out of the hearts of people, that there come evil thoughts – sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
For from inside the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts,
22 greed, wickedness, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, haughtiness, folly;
covetings, wickednesses, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, reviling, pride, foolishness.
23 all these wicked things come from within, and do defile a person.’
All these evil things come from inside, and defile the man.
24 On leaving that place, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. He went into a house, and did not wish anyone to know it, but could not escape notice.
And having risen from there, he went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. And having entered into a house, he wanted no man to know it, and yet he could not be hid.
25 For a woman, whose little daughter had a foul spirit in her, heard of him immediately, and came and threw herself at his feet –
For a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, after hearing about him, having come, she fell down at his feet.
26 the woman was a foreigner, from Syrian Phoenicia – and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. And she besought him that he would cast out the demon from her daughter.
27 ‘Let the children be satisfied first,’ answered Jesus. ‘For it is not fair to take the children’s food, and throw it to dogs.’
And Jesus said to her, Allow the children first be filled, for it is not right to take the children's bread and cast it to the house dogs.
28 ‘Yes, Master,’ she replied. ‘Even the dogs under the table do feed on the children’s crumbs.’
But she answered and says to him, Yes, Lord, for even the house dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.
29 ‘For saying that,’ he answered, ‘you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.’
And he said to her, Because of this saying, go thou. The demon has gone out of thy daughter.
30 The woman went home, and found the child lying on her bed, and the demon gone.
And having departed to her house, she found the demon having gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
31 On returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went, by way of Sidon, to the Sea of Galilee, across the district of the Ten Towns.
And again having departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the sea of Galilee in the midst of the regions of Decapolis.
32 Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and almost dumb, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.
And they bring a deaf, tongue-tied man to him, and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him.
33 Jesus took him aside from the crowd quietly, put his fingers into the man’s ears, and touched his tongue with saliva.
And having taken him from the multitude in private, he put his fingers into his ears, and having spat, he touched his tongue.
34 Then, looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to the man, ‘Ephphatha!’ which means “Be opened.”
And having looked up to heaven, he sighed, and says to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
35 The man’s ears were opened, the string of his tongue was freed, and he began to talk plainly.
And straightaway his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosened, and he spoke plainly.
36 Jesus insisted on their not telling anyone; but the more he insisted, the more perseveringly they made it known,
And he commanded them that they should tell no man, but as much as he commanded them, so much the more abundantly they proclaimed it.
37 and a profound impression was made on the people. ‘He has done everything well!’ they exclaimed. ‘He makes even the deaf hear and the dumb speak!’
And they were exceedingly astonished, saying, He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf to hear, and the mute to speak.
