The Gospel According to St. Mark

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 7 -

(Matthew 15:1–9)

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus,

and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed.

Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.(a)

And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.(b)

So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.”

Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’(c)

You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.(d)”

He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain

(e)

your own tradition.

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’(f) and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’(g)

But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God),

he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother.

Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”

What Defiles a Man

(Matthew 15:10–20)

Once again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “All of you, listen to Me and understand:

Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.”(h)

After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples inquired about the parable.

“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him,

because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)(i)

He continued: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.

For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,(j)

greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness.

All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

The Faith of the Gentile Woman

(Matthew 15:21–28)

Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre.(k) Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice.

Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet.

Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

“First let the children have their fill,” He said. “For it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs

(l)

under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

Then Jesus told her, “Because of this answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.”

And she went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone.

The Deaf and Mute Man

(Matthew 9:27–34)

Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.(m)

Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him.

So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue.

And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).

Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.

Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.

The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

Footnotes

(a)7:3 Literally until they have washed their hands to the fist

(b)7:4 NE and WH cups, pitchers, and kettles.

(d)7:8 BYZ and TR include—washings of pots and cups and many such things like these.

(e)7:9 NA establish

(f)7:10 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16

(g)7:10 Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9

(h)7:15 BYZ and TR include 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.

(i)7:19 Or and then is eliminated, thereby expelling all foods.”

(j)7:21 Many texts move adultery to verse 22.

(k)7:24 WH, BYZ, and TR include and Sidon; see Matthew 15:21.

(l)7:28 Or puppies

(m)7:31 That is, the Ten Cities

(Matthew 15:1–9)

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem.

Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault.

(For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.

They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.)

The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”

He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ (a)

“For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.”

He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ (b) and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ (c)

But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban,”’” (d) that is to say, given to God,

“then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother,

making void the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down. You do many things like this.”

What Defiles a Man

(Matthew 15:10–20)

He called all the multitude to himself and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand.

There is nothing from outside of the man that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” (e)

When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable.

He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him,

because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, making all foods clean?” (f)

He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man.

For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,

covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.

All these evil things come from within and defile the man.”

The Faith of the Gentile Woman

(Matthew 15:21–28)

From there he arose and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice.

For a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet.

Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter.

But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

But she answered him, “Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

He said to her, “For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter.”

She went away to her house, and found the child having been laid on the bed, with the demon gone out.

The Deaf and Mute Man

(Matthew 9:27–34)

Again he departed from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and came to the sea of Galilee through the middle of the region of Decapolis.

They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him.

He took him aside from the multitude privately and put his fingers into his ears; and he spat and touched his tongue.

Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly.

He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it.

They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

Footnotes

(a)7:7 ℘ Isaiah 29:13

(b)7:10 ℘ Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16

(d)7:11 Corban is a Hebrew word for an offering devoted to God.

(e)7:16 NU omits verse 16.

(f)7:19 NU ends Jesus’ direct quote and question after “latrine”, ending the verse with “Thus he declared all foods clean.