Twenty - Mark - 7

7:1  One day the Pharisees and some of the Teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus.

7:2  They had noticed that some of his disciples ate their food with their hands 'defiled,' by which they meant unwashed.

7:3  (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.

7:4  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).

7:5  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?"

7:6  His answer was. "It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites in the words--'This is a people that honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me; But vainly do they worship me, For they teach but the precepts of men.'

7:8  You neglect God's commandments and hold to the traditions of men.

7:9  Wisely do you set aside God's commandments," he exclaimed, "to keep your own traditions!

7:10  For while Moses said 'Honor thy father and thy mother,' and 'Let him who reviles his father or mother suffer death,'

7:11  You say 'If a man says to his father or mother "Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is Korban"' --

7:12  Why, then you do not allow him to do anything further for his father or mother!

7:13  In this way you nullify the words of God by your traditions, which you hand down; and you do many similar things."

7:14  Then Jesus called the people to him again, and said. "Listen to me, all of you, and mark my words.

7:15  There is nothing external to a man, which by going into him can 'defile' him; but the things that come out from a man are the things that defile him."

7:17  When Jesus went indoors, away from the crowd, his disciples began questioning him about this saying.

7:18  "What, do even you understand so little?" exclaimed Jesus. "Do not you see that there is nothing external to a man, which by going into a man, can 'defile' him,

7:19  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.'

7:20  "It is what comes out from a man," he added, "that defiles him,

7:21  For it is from within, out of the hearts of men, that there come evil thoughts--unchastity, theft, murder, adultery,

7:22  Greed, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, haughtiness, folly;

7:23  All these wicked things come from within, and do defile a man."

7:24  On leaving that place, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into a house, and did not wish anyone to know it, but could not escape notice.

7:25  For a woman, whose little daughter had a foul spirit in her, heard of him immediately, and came and threw herself at his feet- -

7:26  The woman was a foreigner, a native of Syrian Phoenicia--and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

7:27  "Let the children be satisfied first," answered Jesus. "For it is not fair to take the children's food, and throw it to dogs."

7:28  "Yes, Master," she replied; "even the dogs under the table do feed on the children's crumbs."

7:29  "For saying that," he answered, "you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter."

7:30  The woman went home, and found the child lying on her bed, and the demon gone.

7:31  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.

7:32  Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and almost dumb, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

7:33  Jesus took him aside from the crowd quietly, put his fingers into the man's ears, and touched his tongue with saliva.

7:34  Then, looking up to Heaven, he sighed, and said to the man. "Ephphatha!" which means 'Be opened.'

7:35  The man's ears were opened, the string of his tongue was freed, and he began to talk plainly.

7:36  Jesus insisted upon their not telling any one; but the more he insisted, the more perseveringly they made it known,

7:37  And a profound impression was made upon the people. "He has done everything well!" they exclaimed. "He makes even the deaf hear and the dumb speak!"