The Traditions of the Elders

1Thea Phariseesb and some of the scribesc who had come from Jerusalemd gathered around him. 2They observed that some of his disciples were eating bread with uncleana — that is, unwashed — hands. 3(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, keeping the tradition of the elders. 4When they come from the marketplace,a they do not eat unless they have washed.b And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches.a c) 5So the Phariseesa and the scribesb asked him, “Why don’t your disciples liveA according to the tradition of the elders,c instead of eating bread with ceremonially uncleanB hands? ”

6He answered them, “Isaiaha prophesiedb correctly about you hypocrites,c as it is written:d

This people honorse me with their lips,

but their heart is far from me.

7They worship me in vain,

teachinga as doctrinesb human commands.c d

8Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.”A 9He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set upA your tradition! 10For Mosesa said: Honor your father and your mother;b c and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.d e 11But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefita you might have received from me is corban’ ” (that is, an offeringb devoted to God), 12“you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13You nullify the word of Goda by your tradition that you have handedb down. And you do many other similar things.”

14Summoninga the crowd again, he told them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand:b 15Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”A

17When he went into the house away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a person from the outside can defile him? 19For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomacha and is eliminated” (thus he declared all foods cleana b). 20And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities,a thefts, murders,b 22adulteries,a greed,b evil actions, deceit,c self-indulgence,d envy,A slander,e pride,f and foolishness.g 23All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”

A Gentile Mother’s Faith

24He got up and departed froma there to the region of Tyre.a b He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it, but he could not escape notice. 25Instead, immediately after hearing about him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirita came and fell at his feet.b 26The woman was a Gentile,a a a Syrophoenician by birth, and she was asking him to cast the demonb out of her daughter. 27He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, because it isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”a

28But she replied to him, “Lord,a even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

29Then he told her, “Because of this reply, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.” 30When she went back to her home, she found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone.

Jesus Does Everything Well

31Again, leaving the region of Tyre,a he went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,b throughA the region of the Decapolis.c 32They brought to him a deafa man who had difficulty speakingb and begged Jesus to lay his hand onc him. 33So he took him away from the crowd in private. After putting his fingers in the man’s ears and spitting,a he touched his tongue. 34Looking up to heaven,a he sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha! ”A (that is, “Be opened! ”). 35Immediately his ears were opened,a his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly.b 36He ordered them to tell no one,a but the more he ordered them, the more they proclaimed it.b

37They were extremely astonished and said, “He has done everything well.a He even makes the deafb hear and the mute speak.”c