< Mark 7 >

1 One day the Pharisees and some of the teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus.
One day the Pharisees came to him in a body with some Scribes who had come from Jerusalem.
2 They had noticed that some of his disciples ate their food with their hands “defiled,” by which they meant unwashed.
They had noticed that some of his disciples were eating with "common," that is to say, unwashed hands.
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 of the Jews do not eat until they have ceremoniously washed their hands in obedience to 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 when they come from the market-place they do not eat without bathing first. and they have many other customs which they have received and observe, such as the washing of cups and jugs and copper pans.
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?’
So the Pharisees and Scribes asked him. "Why do your disciples not follow the traditions of the elders? Why do they eat with ‘common’ 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;
"Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, hypocrites," he answered. "As it is written, "This people honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far from me;
7 but vainly do they worship me, For they teach but human precepts.”
But in vain do they worship me, For their teaching is only human precepts.
8 You neglect God’s commandments and hold to human traditions.
"You neglect the commandment of God, and hold fast the traditions of men."
9 Wisely do you set aside God’s commandments,’ he exclaimed, ‘to keep your own traditions!
"It is praiseworthy, is it," he exclaimed, "to reject the command of God that you 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 although Moses said, Honor your father and mother, and Let him who curses father or mother suffer 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”) –
you say that if a man tells his father or mother, ‘This money which otherwise you would have received from me, is Korban’ (that is, a thing devoted to God),
12 why, then you do not allow them to do anything further for their father or mother!
you exempt him from doing any service for his father or mother.
13 In this way you nullify the words of God by your traditions, which you hand down; and you do many similar things.’
Thus by your tradition which you have handed down you set at naught the word of God; and you do many other things like that."
14 Then Jesus called the people to him again, and said, ‘Listen to me, all of you, and mark my words.
Then again he called the crowd to him and said.
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.’
"Listen to me, all of you, and understand; there is nothing outside a man which by entering in can defile him; but it is what comes from him that defiled him."
17 When Jesus went indoors, away from the crowd, his disciples began questioning him about this saying.
After he had left the crowd and gone indoors his disciples began asking 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,
"Are even you without understanding?" he said. "Do you not perceive that nothing whatever from without can defile a man by entering 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 go into his heart, but into his belly, and passes away, ejected from him?" By these words he pronounced all foods clean.
20 ‘It is what comes out from a person,’ he added, ‘that defiles them,
"What comes out of a man," he continued, "is what defiles him.
21 for it is from within, out of the hearts of people, that there come evil thoughts – sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
From within, from the heart of man, proceed evil purposes -
22 greed, wickedness, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, haughtiness, folly;
fornication, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, wantonness, envy, slander, arrogance, reckless folly -
23 all these wicked things come from within, and do defile a person.’
all these wicked things issue from within and defile a 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.
After he rose and left that place, he went away into the region of Tyre and Sidon. Here he went into a house and wished no one to know it but 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 –
Forthwith a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet
26 the woman was a foreigner, from Syrian Phoenicia – and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
(the woman was a Greek, a Syro-phoenician by race), and again and again she begged him to cast the demon out of 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.’
"Let the children be filled first," he said to her. "It is unseemly to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs."
28 ‘Yes, Master,’ she replied. ‘Even the dogs under the table do feed on the children’s crumbs.’
"True, Master," she answered, "but the dogs under the table do pick up the children’s crumbs."
29 ‘For saying that,’ he answered, ‘you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.’
"For that saying of yours, go home," he replied; "the demon has departed from your daughter."
30 The woman went home, and found the child lying on her bed, and the demon gone.
So she went home, and found the child lying in her bed and the demon departed.
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.
Again he left the region of Tyre, and passed through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, crossing the District of the Ten Towns.
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 brought to him a deaf man who stammered, and begged him to lay his hands 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.
So Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put his finger in the man’s ears, and moistened his tongue with saliva;
34 Then, looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to the man, ‘Ephphatha!’ which means “Be opened.”
then looking up to heaven with a sigh, he said 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 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,
Then Jesus charged them not to tell any one, but the more he charged them, the more they published 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 people were amazed beyond measure saying. "How successfully he does things! Even the deaf he makes to hear, and the dumb to speak."

< Mark 7 >