1Then the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus,
2And when they saw some of His disciples eating with defiled - with unwashed hands - they found fault.
3For the Pharisees, and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.
4And when they come from the market place, they do not eat until they wash. And many other traditions they established to hold, such as the washing of cups, pots, bronze vessels, and tables.
5So then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not abide by to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”
6He answered, “Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, “This people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.”
7However, in vain do their worship of Me is in vain, teaching the commandments of men as doctrines of God.
8For You have laid aside the commandments of God, while you cling to the tradition of men, such as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things that you do.”
9And He continued, “You have skillfully rejected the commandment of God, so that you can observe your own traditions.
10For Moses said, “Honor your father and your mother”; and, “Whoever curses their father or mother, let him be put to death”.
11But you say, “If a man shall declare to his father or mother, “It is Corban” - a gift set aside for God - he shall be free of any obligation to use it for the needs of his parents”.
12And you allow him to thereby neglect the needs of his father or his mother;
13Thus making the word of God of no effect through your tradition, which you have handed down; and you do many such things.”
14And again He called all the people to Him, and said to them, “Listen to Me, every one of you, and understand this:
15There is nothing from outside of a man that, by entering into him, can defile him; but it is the things which come out of him, they are the things that defile the man.
16If any man has ears to hear, let him hear”.
17And when He had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples asked Him about that parable.
18And He said unto them, “Are you also dull? Do you not perceive, that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him;
19Because it does not enter his heart, but into the stomach, and then out of the body, purging all foods?”
20And He said, “It is that which comes out of the man, that defiles the man.
21For it is from within, out of the heart of men, that evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness proceed;
23All these evil things come from within, and they defile the man.”
24And from there He arose, and went into the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, and He entered a house, and did not want anyone to know it; but He could not be hidden.
25For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an evil spirit, heard of Him, and came and fell at His feet;
26This woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation (born in Syrian Phoenicia); and she begged Him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
27But Jesus said to her, “Let the children first be filled; for it is not right to take the children's bread, and to toss it to the dogs.”
28And she answered Him, “True, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs”.
29And He said to her, “Because of your saying (answer), go your way; the demon has left your daughter”.
30And when she got home, she found the demon gone, and her daughter lying upon the bed.
31And when He left the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came down to the sea of Galilee, into the borders of Decapolis.
32And they brought to Him one who was deaf, and had a speech impediment; and they begged Him to put His hand upon him.
33And after He took him aside from the crowd, He put His fingers into his ears, and He spit, and touched his tongue;
34And looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha”, that is, “Be opened.”
35And at this, his ears were opened, and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.
36And He told them to tell no one; but the more He did so, the more they talked about it;
37And were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes both the deaf to hear, and the dumb (mute) to speak.” Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
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