Mark 7
7
Followers of Tradition
1Now the Pharisees and some of the scribes came from Jerusalem and gathered around Him, 2and they had seen that some of His disciples ate their bread with [ceremonially] impure hands, that is, unwashed [and defiled according to Jewish religious ritual]. 3(#7:3 Mark explains Jewish customs and translates Hebrew terms for his Gentile readers.For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat unless they #7:3 Lit with the fist. This probably refers either to the method of washing the hands or, perhaps more likely, to the volume of water used.carefully wash their hands, holding firmly to the traditions of the elders; 4and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they #7:4 The Greek word used is baptize, which in this context refers to an immersion ritual normally performed in a miqveh, a special bathtub large enough for the purpose and filled with water that was to be collected naturally. The miqvehs typically were built into the ground outside where they could collect rain water.cleanse themselves [completely according to ritual]; and there are many other things [oral, man-made laws and traditions handed down to them] which they follow diligently, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper utensils.) 5So the Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus, “Why do Your disciples not live their lives according to the tradition of the elders, but [instead] eat their bread with [ceremonially] unwashed hands?” 6He replied, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders), as it is written [in Scripture],
‘These people honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
7 ‘They worship Me in vain [their worship is meaningless and worthless, a pretense],
Teaching the precepts of men as doctrines [giving their traditions equal weight with the Scriptures].’ [Is 29:13]
8 You disregard and neglect the commandment of God, and cling [faithfully] to the tradition of men.”
9He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside and nullifying the commandment of God in order to keep your [man-made] tradition and regulations. 10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother [with respect and gratitude]’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of his father or mother must be put to death’; [Ex 20:12; 21:17; Lev 20:9; Deut 5:16] 11but you [Pharisees and scribes] say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you is Corban, (that is to say, already a gift to God),” ’ 12then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother [since helping them would violate his vow of Corban]; 13so you nullify the [authority of the] word of God [acting as if it did not apply] because of your tradition which you have handed down [through the elders]. And you do many things such as that.”
The Heart of Man
14After He called the people to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen [carefully] to Me, all of you, [hear] and understand [what I am saying]: 15there is nothing outside a man [such as food] which by going into him can defile him [morally or spiritually]; but the things which come out of [the heart of] a man are what defile and dishonor him. 16#7:16 Early mss do not contain this verse.[If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”]
17When Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the #7:17 It was probably Peter’s house.house, His disciples asked Him about the parable. 18And He said to them, “Are you, too, so foolish and lacking in understanding? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile and dishonor him, 19since it does not enter his heart, but [only] his stomach, and [from there it] is eliminated?” (By this, He declared all foods #7:19 I.e. He abolished all prohibitions given in the Law against certain foods.ceremonially clean.) 20And He said, “Whatever comes from [the heart of] a man, that is what defiles and dishonors him. 21For from within, [that is] out of the heart of men, come base and malevolent thoughts and schemes, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22acts of greed and covetousness, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained conduct, envy and jealousy, slander and profanity, arrogance and self-righteousness and foolishness (poor judgment). 23All these evil things [schemes and desires] come from within and defile and dishonor the man.”
The Syrophoenician Woman
24Jesus got up and left there and went to the region of Tyre [and Sidon, the coastal area of Phoenicia]. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know about it; but it was impossible for Him to be hidden [from the public]. [Matt 15:21-28] 25Instead, 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 Gentile (Greek), a #7:26 She came from an area north of Israel, between the Lebanon Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.Syrophoenician by nationality. And she kept pleading with Him to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27He was saying to her, “First let the children [of Israel] be fed, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the #7:27 Jews used kuon (dog) as a derogatory term referring to Gentiles. This dog (kuon) was a despised, filthy, homeless street scavenger. When speaking with this woman, Jesus uses a word for “dog” (kunarion) that refers to a household pet. The use of the word kunariois by both Jesus and the woman reflects the tenderness and spiritual depth of this exchange. More importantly, it foreshadows the fact that Gentile believers will not be spiritually homeless, but will also be welcomed into God’s household as His children. The gracious response of the woman recorded in v 28 confirms that on some level she understood this.pet dogs (non-Jews).” 28But she replied, “Yes, Lord, but even the pet dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29And He said to her, “Because of this answer [reflecting your humility and faith], go [knowing that your request is granted]; the demon has left your daughter [permanently].” 30And returning to her home, she found the child lying on the couch [relaxed and resting], the demon having gone.
31Soon after this Jesus left the region of Tyre, and passed through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of Decapolis [the ten Hellenistic cities]. 32They brought to Him a man who was deaf and had difficulty speaking, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. 33Jesus, taking him aside by himself, away from the crowd, put His fingers into the man’s ears, and after spitting, He touched the man’s tongue [with the saliva]; 34and looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to the man, “Ephphatha,” which [in Aramaic] means, “#7:34 A command directed to the whole person.Be opened and released!” 35And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he began speaking plainly. 36Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it. 37They were thoroughly astounded and completely overwhelmed, saying, “He has done everything well! He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
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Amplified® Bible
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The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
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St Mark 7
7
1AND there assembled together unto him the Pharisees and some of the scribes, coming from Jerusalem.
2And when they had seen some of his disciples eat bread with common, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.
3For the Pharisees, and all the Jews eat not without often washing their hands, holding the tradition of the ancients:
4And when they come from the market, unless they be washed, they eat not: and many other things there are that have been delivered to them to observe, the washings of cups and of pots, and of brazen vessels, and of beds.
5And the Pharisees and scribes asked him: Why do not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the ancients, but they eat bread with common hands?
6But he answering, said to them: Well did Isaias prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7And in vain to they worship me, teaching doctrines and precepts of men.
8For leaving the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and of cups: and many other things you do like to these.
9And he said to them: Well do you make void the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.
10For Moses said: Honor thy father and thy mother; and He that shall curse father or mother, dying let him die.
11But you say: If a man shall say to his father or mother, Corban, (which is a gift,) whatsoever is from me, shall profit thee.
12And further you suffer him not to do any thing for his father or mother,
13Making void the word of God by your own tradition, which you have given forth. And many other such like things you do.
14And calling again the multitude unto him, he said to them: Hear ye me all, and understand.
15There is nothing from without a man that entering into him, can defile him. But the things which come from a man, those are they that defile a man.
16If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
17And when he was come into the house from the multitude, his disciples asked him the parable.
18And he saith to them: So are you also without knowledge? understand you not that every thing from without, entering into a man cannot defile him:
19Because it entereth not into his heart, but goeth into the belly, and goeth out into the privy, purging all meats?
20But he said that the things which come out from a man, they defile a man.
21For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
23All these evil things come from within, and defile a man.
24And rising from thence he went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon: and entering into a house, he would that no man should know it, and he could not be hid.
25For a woman as soon as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, came in and fell down at his feet.
26For the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophenician born. And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
27Who said to her: Suffer first the children to be filled: for it is not good to take the bread of the children, and cast it to the dogs.
28But she answered and said to him: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children.
29And he said to her: For this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
30And when she was come into her house, she found the girl lying upon the bed, and that the devil was gone out.
31And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
32And they bring to him one deaf and dumb; and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him.
33And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue:
34And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened.
35And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right.
36And he charged them that they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it.
37And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.
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