Mark 7:1–23

Pharisees and Defilement

Matt. 15:1–20

7Then ^athe Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. ²Now ¹when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with ^bunwashed hands, ²they found fault. ³For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands ³in a special way, holding the ^ctradition of the elders. ⁴When 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.

^5dThen 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?”

⁶He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you ^ehypocrites, as it is written:

^f‘This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far from Me.

⁷And in vain they worship Me,

Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

⁸For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—⁴the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

⁹He said to them, “All too well ^gyou ⁵reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. ¹⁰For Moses said, ^h‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ⁱ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ ¹¹But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, ^j“Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), ¹²then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, ¹³making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

^14kWhen He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and ^lunderstand: ¹⁵There 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 ^mdefile a man. ¹⁶ⁿIf ⁶anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

^17oWhen He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. ¹⁸So He said to them, ^p “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, ⁷thus purifying all foods?” ²⁰And He said, ^q“What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. ^21rFor from within, out of the heart of men, ^sproceed evil thoughts, ^tadulteries, ^ufornications, murders, ²²thefts, ^vcovetousness, wickedness, ^wdeceit, ^xlewdness, an evil eye, ^yblasphemy, ^zpride, foolishness. ²³All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”