1 T he proud religious law-keepers and some of the teachers of the Law had come from Jerusalem. They gathered around Jesus.

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.

2 T hey had seen some of His followers eat bread without washing their hands.

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

3 T he proud religious law-keepers and all the Jews never eat until they wash their hands. They keep the teaching that was given to them by their early fathers.

For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.

4 W hen they come from the stores, they never eat until they wash. There are many other teachings they keep. Some are the washing of cups and pots and pans in a special way.

When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

5 T hen the proud religious law-keepers and the teachers of the Law asked Jesus, “Why do Your followers not obey the teaching given to them by their early fathers? They eat bread without washing their hands.”

Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”

6 H e said to them, “Isaiah told about you who pretend to be someone you are not. Isaiah wrote, ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

He answered and said to 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.

7 T heir worship of Me is worth nothing. They teach what men say must be done.’

And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

8 Y ou put away the Laws of God and obey the laws made by men.”

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

9 J esus said to them, “You put away the Laws of God but keep your own teaching.

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

10 M oses said, ‘Respect your father and mother.’ ‘He who curses his father and mother will be put to death!’

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’

11 B ut you say that it is right if a man does not help his father and mother because he says he has given to God what he could have given to them.

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

12 Y ou are not making him do anything for his father and mother.

then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,

13 Y ou are putting away the Word of God to keep your own teaching. You are doing many other things like this.”

making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

14 J esus called the people to Him again. He said, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand this.

When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand:

15 I t is not what goes into a man’s mouth from the outside that makes his mind and heart sinful. It is what comes out from the inside that makes him sinful.

There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.

16 Y ou have ears, then listen!”

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

17 H e went into the house away from all the people. His followers began to ask about the picture-story.

When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable.

18 H e said to them, “Do you not understand yet? Do you not understand that whatever goes into a man cannot make him sinful?

So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,

19 I t does not go into his heart, but into his stomach and then on out of his body.” In this way, He was saying that all food is clean.

because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?”

20 H e said, “Whatever comes out of a man is what makes the man sinful.

And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.

21 F rom the inside, out of the heart of men come bad thoughts, sex sins of a married person, sex sins of a person not married, killing other people,

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22 s tealing, wanting something that belongs to someone else, doing wrong, lying, having a desire for sex sins, having a mind that is always looking for sin, speaking against God, thinking you are better than you are and doing foolish things.

thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.

23 A ll these bad things come from the inside and make the man sinful.” Jesus Puts a Demon out of a Girl

All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” A Gentile Shows Her Faith

24 J esus went from their towns and cities to the cities of Tyre and Sidon. He went into a house and wanted to stay there without people knowing where He was. But He could not hide Himself.

From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden.

25 A woman who had a daughter with a demon heard of Him. She came and got down at His feet.

For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet.

26 T he woman was not a Jew. She was from the country of Syrophenicia. She asked Jesus if He would put the demon out of her daughter.

The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.

27 J esus said to her, “Let the children have what they want first. It is wrong to take children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”

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

28 S he said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the pieces that fall from the children’s table.”

And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.”

29 H e said to her, “Because of what you have said, go your way. The demon is gone out of your daughter.”

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

30 S o she went to her house and found the demon was gone and her daughter was lying on the bed. Jesus Heals the Man Who Could Not Hear or Speak Well

And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed. Jesus Heals a Deaf-Mute

31 T hen Jesus left the cities of Tyre and Sidon. He came back to the Sea of Galilee by way of the land of Decapolis.

Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee.

32 T hey took a man to Him who could not hear or speak well. They asked Jesus to put His hand on him.

Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.

33 J esus took him away from the other people. He put His fingers into the man’s ears. He spit and put His finger on the man’s tongue.

And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue.

34 T hen Jesus looked up to heaven and breathed deep within. He said to the man, “Be opened!”

Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”

35 A t once his ears were opened. His tongue was made loose and he spoke as other people.

Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.

36 T hen Jesus told them they should tell no one. The more He told them this, the more they told what He had done.

Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it.

37 T hey were very much surprised and wondered about it. They said, “He has done all things well. He makes those who could not hear so they can hear. He makes those who could not speak so they can speak.”

And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”