Mark 7
1 [One day some] Pharisees and some men who teach the [Jewish] laws gathered around Jesus. They had come from Jerusalem [to investigate him].
Now the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem were gathered around Jesus.
2 The Pharisees and all of the [other] Jews [strictly] observe the traditions that their ancestors [taught. For example, they refuse to] eat until they first wash their hands [with a special ritual], especially after they [return] from [buying things in] the marketplace. [They think that God will be angry with them if they do not do that, because some person or thing unacceptable to God might have touched] ([them/the things they bought]). There are many other such [traditions] that they accept and try to obey. Specifically, they wash [in a special way] their cups, pots, kettles, containers, and beds [in order that using these things will not make God reject them].
When they saw some of his disciples eating bread with hands that were defiled (that is, unwashed), they criticized them.
(For none of the Pharisees or Jews eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders.
And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they have washed. There are also many other traditions they observe, such as the washing of cups, pots, copper vessels, and dining couches.)
5 That day, those Pharisees and men who taught the [Jewish] laws saw that some of his disciples were eating food with hands that they had not washed [using the special ritual]. So they questioned Jesus, saying, “[Your] disciples disobey the traditions of our ancestors! (You should not [let them] eat food if they have not washed their hands [using our special ritual]!/Why do you [let them] eat food if they have not washed their hands [using our special ritual]?) [RHQ]”
Now the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus, “Why do yoʋr disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
6 Jesus said to them, “Isaiah [rebuked your ancestors], and his words describe very well you people who only pretend to be good! He wrote these words [that God said]: These people speak [as if they] honor me, but they [SYN] really do not think about honoring me at all.
He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 It is useless for them to worship me, because they teach only what people have commanded [as if I myself had commanded them].
They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 You, [like your ancestors], refuse [to do] what God has commanded. Instead, you follow only the traditions that (others/your ancestors) have [taught].”
For you have neglected the commandment of God and are holding to the tradition of men, such as various washings of pots and cups. And you do many other similar things such as these.”
9 Jesus also said to them, “[You think] [IRO] that you are clever in refusing to do what God commanded just so that you can obey your own traditions!
Then he said to them, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commandment of God so that you may keep your tradition!
10 [For example, our ancestor] Moses [wrote God’s] command, ‘Honor your fathers and your mothers’. He also wrote, ‘[The authorities must] execute a person who speaks evil about his father or mother.’
For Moses said, ‘Honor yoʋr father and yoʋr mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of his father or mother must surely die.’
11 But you [teach people that it is all right that people no longer must help their parents. You teach people that it is all right if people] give their things to God [instead of giving them to their parents]. You allow them to say to their parents, ‘What I was going to give to you [to provide for you, I have now promised to] give to God. So I [cannot any longer help you]!’ As a result, you are [actually telling people] that they no longer have to help their parents!
But you teach that it is acceptable for a man to say to his father or mother, ‘Whatever benefit yoʋ might have received from me is Corban’” (that is, a gift devoted to God).
“In this way you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother,
13 And, by doing that, you disregard what God commanded! You teach your own traditions to others [and tell them strongly that they should obey them] And you do many other things like that.”
thus nullifying the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many similar things such as these.”
14 Then Jesus again summoned the crowd [to come closer. Then] he said to them [figuratively], “All of you people listen to me! [Try to] understand [DOU] [what I am about to tell you].
Then Jesus called over the entire crowd and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand:
15 Nothing that people eat causes [God to] consider them to be unacceptable. On the contrary, it is that which comes from people’s (inner beings/hearts) that causes God to reject them.”
There is nothing outside of a person that can defile him by going into him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
17 After Jesus had left the crowd and then entered a house with the disciples, they asked him about the parable [that he had just spoken].
After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into a house, his disciples asked him about the parable.
18 He replied, “([I am disappointed that] you also do not understand [what it means]!/Why can you not understand [what it means]?) [RHQ] (You ought to understand that nothing that [enters us from] outside can cause [God to] consider us unacceptable to him./Can you not understand that nothing that [enters us from] outside of us can cause [God to] consider us unacceptable to him?) [RHQ]
He said to them, “So are you also without understanding? Do you not understand that whatever goes into a person from the outside cannot defile him?
19 Instead of entering [and ruining] our minds/souls, it goes into our stomachs, and afterwards the refuse passes out [of our bodies].” By saying this, Jesus was declaring that people [can eat] any food without causing [God] to reject them.
For it does not go into his heart but into his stomach; then it goes out into the latrine, thus purifying all foods.”
20 He also said, “It is the [thoughts and actions] that come from within people that cause [God] to consider them unacceptable to him.
He also said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles a person.
21 Specifically, it is people’s innermost being [that causes them to] think things that are evil; they act immorally, they steal [things], they commit murder.
For from within, from the hearts of men, come evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder,
22 They [commit] adultery, they are greedy, they [act] maliciously, they deceive [people]. They [act] indecently, they envy [people], they speak evil about others, they are proud, and they [act] foolishly.
theft, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.
23 People think [these thoughts] and then they do these evil actions, and that is what causes [God to] consider them unacceptable to him.”
All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”
24 After Jesus [and his disciples] left [Galilee district], they went to the region around Tyre. While he stayed at a certain house, he desired that no one know [it], but people soon found out [that he was there].
Then Jesus rose from there and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. He went into a house and did not want anyone to know it, yet he could not escape notice.
25 A certain woman, whose daughter had an evil spirit [within her], heard about Jesus. At once she came to him and prostrated herself at his feet.
For a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him and came and fell at his feet.
26 This woman [was not a Jew. Her ancestors came] from Greece [country], but she was born in [the region around] Phoenicia [town] in Syria district. She pleaded with Jesus that he expel the evil spirit from her daughter.
(This woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth.) She asked Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter.
27 But he [wanted to see how strongly she believed in him. So, suggesting that he should help the Jews first and not the non-Jews whom some Jews called dogs] [MET], [he] spoke to her saying, “First let the children eat all they want, because it is not good for someone to take the food [the mother has prepared] for the children and then throw it to the [little] dogs.”
But Jesus said to her, “Let the children first be filled, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”
28 But [to show that she believed that non-Jews could also receive help from God] [MET], she replied to him, “Sir, [what you say is] correct, but even the [little] dogs, which lie under the table, eat the crumbs that the children [drop].”
She answered him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.”
29 [Jesus] said to her, “Because of what you have said, [you have shown me that you believe in what I can do for you]. So I will help you. Now you may go [home, because I have caused] the evil spirit to leave your daughter.”
Then he said to her, “Because of this reply, yoʋ may go; the demon has come out of yoʋr daughter.”
30 The woman returned to her house and saw that her child was lying [quietly] on the bed and that the evil spirit had left.
And when she went to her house, she found the demon gone and her daughter lying in bed.
31 Jesus [and his disciples] left the region around Tyre [city] and went [north] through Sidon [city], then [toward the east] through the district of the Ten Towns, and then [south] to [the towns near] Lake Galilee.
Then Jesus came back from the region of Tyre and Sidon and went to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of the Decapolis.
32 [There], people brought to him a man who was deaf and who could hardly talk. They begged [Jesus] to lay his hands on him [in order to heal him].
Some people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on the man.
33 [So Jesus] took him away from the crowd [in order that the two of them could be] alone. Then he put [one of] his fingers into [each of] the man’s ears. After he spat [on his fingers], he touched the man’s tongue [with his fingers].
So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd. Then he put his fingers into the man's ears, spit, and touched the man's tongue.
34 Then he looked up toward heaven, he sighed [because he was concerned for the man], and then [in his own language] he said to the man’s [ears], “Ephphatha”, which means, “Be opened {Open up}!”.
And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha” (that is, “Be opened”).
35 At once the man could hear plainly [MTY]. He also began to speak clearly because [what was causing him to be unable to speak] was healed {Jesus healed [what was causing him to be unable to speak]}.
Immediately the man's ears were opened, the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking clearly.
36 Jesus told ([the people/his friends]) not to tell anyone [what he had done]. But, although he ordered them [and others] repeatedly [not to tell anyone about it], they kept talking about it very much.
Then Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But as much as he ordered them not to do so, they proclaimed it all the more.
37 [People who heard about it] were utterly amazed and were saying [enthusiastically], “Everything he has done is wonderful! [Besides doing other amazing things], he enables deaf people to hear! And he enables those who cannot speak to speak!”
And they were completely astonished, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
