Mark 7

1The Pharisees and some teachers of the law came from Jerusalem and gathered around Jesus.

2They saw that some of His disciples were eating with hands that were not clean — that is, they had not washed them.

3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, following the teaching of their elders.

4And when they come from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. They also follow many other rules, such as the washing of cups, pots, and kettles.)

5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus: Why do Your disciples not follow the teaching of the elders? Why do they eat with hands that are not clean?

6Jesus answered: Isaiah was right when he spoke about you who only pretend to be good. Isaiah wrote: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me.

7Their worship of me means nothing. They teach human rules as if they were God's commands.

8You have let go of God's commands and hold on to human rules.

9Then Jesus said to them: You are very good at setting aside God's commands so you can keep your own rules!

10Moses said: Honor your father and your mother. And: Anyone who curses a father or mother must be put to death.

11But you say that a person may tell a father or mother: Whatever I could have used to help you is Corban (that means, it is a gift given to God).

12In that way you no longer let that person do anything for a father or mother.

13So you cancel the word of God by your own rules, which you pass on to others. And you do many things like that.

14Again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said: Everyone listen to me, and understand this.

15Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make that person unclean. It is what comes out of a person that makes that person unclean.

16Anyone who has ears should listen!

17After Jesus left the crowd and went into the house, His disciples asked Him about this teaching story.

18He said to them: Do you still not understand? Don't you see that nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make that person unclean?

19It does not go into the heart but into the stomach, and then it passes out of the body. (By saying this, Jesus made all foods clean.)

20Then He said: What comes out of a person is what makes that person unclean.

21For from the inside, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual sin, stealing, murder,

22adultery, greed, doing wrong to others, lying, wild living, jealousy, insulting others, pride, and foolishness.

23All these evil things come from inside a person and make that person unclean.

24Jesus left there and went to the area around Tyre. He went into a house and did not want anyone to know He was there. But He could not stay hidden.

25A woman whose little daughter had an evil spirit heard about Jesus. She came and fell at His feet.

26The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27Jesus told her: First let the children eat all they want, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.

28She answered: Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.

29Then Jesus told her: Because you said this, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.

30She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone.

31Then Jesus left the area around Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the area of the Ten Towns.

32Some people brought Him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk. They begged Jesus to put His hand on the man.

33Jesus took him away from the crowd, to be alone with him. He put His fingers in the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue.

34Jesus looked up to heaven, took a deep breath, and said to the man: Ephphatha! (This means, Be opened.)

35At once the man could hear, and his tongue was set free, and he began to speak clearly.

36Jesus told the people not to tell anyone. But the more He told them, the more they kept talking about it.

37The people were completely amazed. They said: He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and those who cannot speak talk.