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Mark

Chapter 7

Summary

Jesus addresses the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes regarding their obsession with ritual purity and the prioritisation of human tradition over the divine Word: specifically their neglect of filial duty through the tradition of "Corban." He explains that spiritual defilement is an internal issue of the heart rather than an external matter of ceremonial washing: asserting that it is what "comes out of a man" that makes him unclean. The narrative then shifts to the region of Tyre and Sidon: where Jesus encounters a Syrophoenician woman whose persistent and humble faith in His Messianic authority prompts the healing of her daughter. The chapter concludes with the healing of a deaf man in the Decapolis: whose restoration of hearing and speech provokes the multitude to declare that Jesus "has done all things well."

1

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

2

And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

3

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4

And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, who they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

5

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

6

He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honours Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.'"

7

"And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"

8

"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things you do."

9

And He said to them, "Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition."

10

"For Moses said, Honour your father and your mother; and, whoever curses father or mother, let him die the death:"

11

"But you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, (that is to say, a gift,) by whatever you might be profited by me; he shall be free."

12

"And you suffer him no more to do anything for his father or his mother;"

13

"Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you."

14

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

15

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

"If any man have ears to hear, let him hear."

17

And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

18

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

19

"Because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly, and goes out into the draught, purging all meats?"

20

And He said, "That which comes out of the man, that defiles the man."

21

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

22

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

23

"All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

24

And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

25

For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

26

The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27

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

And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs."

29

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

30

And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

31

And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32

And they bring to him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

33

And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

34

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

35

And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plain.

36

And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

37

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