Followers of Tradition

1The Pharisees and some of the scribes *gathered to Him after they came from Jerusalem, 2and saw that some of His disciples were eating their bread with [a]unholy hands, that is, unwashed. 3(For the Pharisees and all the other Jews do not eat unless they [b]carefully wash their hands, thereby holding firmly to the tradition of the elders; 4and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they [c]completely cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received as traditions to firmly hold, such as the [d]washing of cups, pitchers, and copper pots.) 5And the Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk in accordance with the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with [e]unholy hands?” 6But He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:

‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,

BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

7‘AND IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,

TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’ 8Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”

9He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. 10For Moses said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’; and, ‘THE ONE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS [f]CERTAINLY TO BE PUT TO DEATH’; 11but you say, ‘If a person says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is, [g]given to God),’ 12you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13thereby invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

The Heart of Man

14After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15there is nothing outside the person which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which come out of the person are what defile the person[h].”

17And when He later entered a house, away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him about the parable. 18And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding as well? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him, 19because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and [i]is eliminated?” (Thereby He declared all foods clean.) 20And He was saying, “That which comes out of the person, that is what defiles the person. 21For from within, out of the [j]hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, 22deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, [k]envy, slander, [l]pride, and foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within and defile the person.”

The Syrophoenician Woman

24Now Jesus got up and went from there to the region of Tyre[m]. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know about it; and yet He could not escape notice. 25But after hearing about Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. 26Now the woman was a [n]Gentile, of Syrophoenician descent. And she repeatedly asked Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not [o]good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the [p]dogs.” 28But she answered and *said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” 29And He said to her, “Because of this [q]answer, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30And after going back to her home, she found the child [r]lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

31Again He left the region of Tyre and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis. 32And they *brought to Him one who was deaf and had difficulty speaking, and they *begged Him to lay His hand on him. 33And Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers in his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; 34and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He *said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” 35And his ears were opened, and the [s]impediment of his tongue was [t]removed, and he began speaking plainly. 36And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it. 37And they were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even those who are deaf hear, and those who are unable to talk, speak.”

[a] 2 Lit common; i.e., ritually unclean
[b] 3 Lit with a fist (following a prescribed ritual)
[c] 4 Lit baptize; i.e., immerse; two early mss purify
[d] 4 Lit baptisms
[e] 5 Lit common; i.e., ritually unclean
[f] 10 Lit to die with death
[g] 11 Lit a gift; i.e., an offering
[h] 15 Late mss add, as v 16: If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
[i] 19 Lit goes out into the latrine
[j] 21 heart
[k] 22 Lit an evil eye
[l] 22 Or arrogance
[m] 24 Two early mss add and Sidon
[n] 26 Lit Greek
[o] 27 Or proper
[p] 27 I.e., pet dogs
[q] 29 Lit word
[r] 30 Lit thrown
[s] 35 Lit bond
[t] 35 Lit undone