Mark 7
Lexham English Bible
Human Traditions and God’s Commandments
7 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered to him. 2 And they saw that some of his disciples were eating their[a] bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands ritually,[b] thus[c] holding fast to the traditions of the elders. 4 And when they come[d] from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions[e] which they have received and[f] hold fast to—for example,[g] the washing of cups and pitchers and bronze kettles and dining couches.)[h] 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their[i] bread with unclean hands?” 6 So he said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their[j] lips,
but their heart is far, far away from me.
7 And they worship me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’[k]
8 Abandoning the commandment of God, you hold fast to the tradition of men.”
9 And he said to them, “You splendidly ignore the commandment of God so that you can keep[l] your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[m] and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother must certainly die[n].’[o] 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his[p] father or to his[q] mother, “Whatever benefit you would have received[r] from me is corban”[s] (that is, a gift to God), 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his[t] father or his[u] mother, 13 thus[v] making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down, and you do many similar things such as this.”
Defilement from Within
14 And summoning the crowd again, he said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing outside of a person that is able to defile him by[w] going into him. But the things that go out of a person are the things that defile a person.”[x] 17 And when he entered into the house away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “So are you also without understanding? Do you not understand that everything that is outside that goes into a person is not able to defile him? 19 For it does not enter into his heart but into his[y] stomach, and goes out into the latrine”—thus[z] declaring all foods clean. 20 And he said, “What comes out of a person, that defiles a person. 21 For from within, from the heart of people, come evil plans, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, 22 adulteries, acts of greed, malicious deeds, deceit, licentiousness, envy,[aa] abusive speech, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”
A Syrophoenician Woman’s Great Faith
24 And from there he set out and[ab] went to the region of Tyre. And when he[ac] entered into a house, he wanted no one to know, and yet he was not able to escape notice. 25 But immediately a woman whose young daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, when she[ad] heard about him, came and[ae] fell down at his feet, 26 Now the woman was a Greek—a Syrophoenician by nationality—and she was asking him that he would expel the demon from her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it[af] to the dogs!” 28 But she answered and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “Because of this statement, go! The demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And when she[ag] went to her home, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.
A Man Deaf and Unable to Speak Healed
31 And again he went away from the region of Tyre and[ah] came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of the Decapolis. 32 And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had difficulty speaking, and they were imploring him that he would place his[ai] hand on him. 33 And he took him away from the crowd by himself and[aj] put his fingers into his ears, and after[ak] spitting, he touched his tongue. 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”). 35 And[al] his ears were opened and his difficulty in speaking was removed[am] and he began to speak normally. 36 And he ordered them that they should say nothing, but as much as he ordered them not to, they proclaimed it[an] even more instead. 37 And they were amazed beyond all measure, saying, “He has done all things well! He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!”
Footnotes
- Mark 7:2 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:3 Literally “with the fist”; although the exact meaning of the phrase is uncertain, there is general agreement it has to do with the ritual or ceremonial nature of the handwashing
- Mark 7:3 Here “thus” is supplied as a component of the participle (“holding fast to”) which is understood as result
- Mark 7:4 The phrase “when they come” is not in the Greek text but is implied
- Mark 7:4 The word “traditions” is not in the Greek text but is implied
- Mark 7:4 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“have received”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 7:4 The phrase “for example” is not in the Greek text but is supplied as a clarification in the English translation
- Mark 7:4 Several important manuscripts omit “and dining couches”
- Mark 7:5 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:6 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:7 A quotation from Isa 29:13
- Mark 7:9 Some manuscripts have “you can maintain”
- Mark 7:10 A quotation from Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
- Mark 7:10 Literally “let him die the death”
- Mark 7:10 A quotation from Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9
- Mark 7:11 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:11 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:11 Literally “you would have been benefited”
- Mark 7:11 A Hebrew term referring to something consecrated as a gift to God and thus not available for ordinary use
- Mark 7:12 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:12 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:13 Here “thus” is supplied as a component of the participle (“making void”) which is understood as result
- Mark 7:15 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“going”) which is understood as means
- Mark 7:15 Most later manuscripts add v. 16, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
- Mark 7:19 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:19 Here “thus” is supplied as a component of the participle (“declaring”) which is understood as result
- Mark 7:22 Literally “the evil eye”
- Mark 7:24 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“set out”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 7:24 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“entered”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 7:25 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 7:25 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 7:27 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 7:30 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“went”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 7:31 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went away”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 7:32 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:33 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“took … away”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 7:33 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“spitting”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 7:35 Some manuscripts have “And immediately”
- Mark 7:35 Literally “the bond of his tongue was loosened”
- Mark 7:36 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
Mark 7
Wycliffe Bible
7 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes came from Jerusalem together to him. [And the Pharisees and some of the scribes coming from Jerusalem, came together to him.]
2 And when they had seen some of his disciples eat bread with unwashen hands, they blamed [them].
3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews eat not, but they wash oft their hands, holding the traditions of elder men.
4 And when they turn again from [the] market, they eat not, but they be washed; and many other things there be, that be taken to them to keep, as washing of cups, and of water vessels [washings of cups and cruets], and of vessels of brass, and of beds.
5 And Pharisees and scribes asked him, and said [saying], Why go not thy disciples after the tradition of elder men, but with unwashen hands they eat bread?
6 And he answered, and said to them, Esaias prophesied well of you, hypocrites, as it is written, This people worshippeth me with lips [This people honoureth me with lips], but their heart is far from me;
7 and in vain they worship me, teaching the doctrines and the behests of men. [in vain truly they worship me, teaching the doctrines and commandments of men.]
8 For ye leave the commandment of God, and hold the traditions of men, as [the] washing of water vessels, and of cups; and many other things like these ye do. [Forsooth ye forsaking the commandment of God, hold the traditions of men, washings of cruets, and cups; and many other things like to these ye do.]
9 And he said to them, Well ye have made the commandment of God void, to keep your tradition. [And he said to them, Well ye have made the commandment of God void, that ye keep your tradition.]
10 For Moses said, Worship thy father and thy mother [Honour thou thy father and thy mother]; and he that curseth father or mother, die he by death.
11 But ye say, If a man [shall] say to father or mother, Corban, that is, Whatever gift is of me, it shall profit to thee;
12 and over [and further] ye suffer not him [to] do any thing to father or mother,
13 and ye break the word of God by your tradition, that ye have given[a]; and ye do many [other] such things.
14 And he again called the people, and said to them, Ye all hear me, and understand.
15 Nothing that is without a man, that entereth into him, may defoul him [Nothing without man is entering into him, that may defoul him]; but those things that come forth of a man, those it be that defoul a man.
16 If any man have ears of hearing [Forsooth if any man have ears to hear], hear he.
17 And when he was entered into an house, from the people, his disciples asked him the parable.
18 And he said to them [And he saith to them], [So] Ye be unwise also. Understand ye not, that all thing withoutforth that entereth into a man, may not defoul him?
19 for it hath not entered into his heart, but into the womb, and beneath it goeth out, purging all meats.
20 But he said, The things that go out of a man, those defoul a man.
21 For from within, of the heart of men come forth evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, manslayings,
22 thefts, avarices [covetousness, or over-hard keeping of goods], wickednesses, guile, unchastity, [an] evil eye, blasphemies [blasphemy], pride, folly.
23 All these evils come forth from within, and defoul a man,
24 And Jesus rose up from thence, and went into the coasts [the ends] of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into an house, and would that no man knew [And he gone into an house, would that no man know]; and he might not be hid.
25 For a woman, at once [anon] as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, entered, and fell down at his feet.
26 And the woman was heathen, of the generation of Syrophenician. And she prayed him, that he would cast out a devil from her daughter [that he would cast out a devil of her daughter].
27 And he said to her, Suffer thou, that the children be fulfilled first [Suffer thou, that the sons be filled first]; for it is not good to take the bread of children, and give [it] to hounds.
28 And she answered, and said to him, Yes, Lord; for little whelps eat under the board, of the crumbs of children.
29 And Jesus said to her, Go thou, for this word the fiend went out of thy daughter.[b]
30 And when she was gone into her house home, she found the damsel lying on the bed[c], and the devil gone out from her.
31 And again Jesus went out from the coasts of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the sea of Galilee [And again Jesus going out from the ends, or coasts, of Tyre, came through Sidon to the sea of Galilee], between the middle of the coasts of Decapolis.
32 And they bring to him a man deaf and dumb, and prayed him to lay his hand on him [and prayed him, that he put to him the hand].
33 And he took him aside from the people, and put his fingers into his ears[d]; and he spat, and touched his tongue.
34 And he beheld into heaven, and sorrowed within, and said [And he beholding into heaven, sorrowed within, and saith to him], Ephphatha, that is, Be thou opened.
35 And at once [And anon] his ears were opened, and the band of his tongue was unbound, and he spake rightly.
36 And he commanded to them, that they should say to no man; but how much he commanded to them, so much the more they preached [more],
37 and by so much the more they wondered, and said [saying], He did well all things, both he hath made deaf men to hear, and dumb men to speak.
Footnotes
- Mark 7:13 breaking the word of God by your tradition, which ye have given
- Mark 7:29 And he said to her, For this word go, the fiend went out of thy daughter.
- Mark 7:30 And when she had gone home/And when she had gone into her house, she found the damsel lying on the bed
- Mark 7:33 And he taking him aside from the company, put his fingers into his ears
Mark 7
New King James Version
Defilement Comes from Within(A)
7 Then (B)the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now [a]when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with (C)unwashed hands, [b]they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands [c]in a special way, holding the (D)tradition of the elders. 4 When 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.
5 (E)Then 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?”
6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you (F)hypocrites, as it is written:
(G)‘This people honors 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—[d]the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”
9 He said to them, “All too well (H)you [e]reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, (I)‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, (J)‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, (K)“Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
14 (L)When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and (M)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 (N)defile a man. 16 (O)If[f] anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”
17 (P)When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18 So He said to them, (Q)“Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, [g]thus purifying all foods?” 20 And He said, (R)“What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 (S)For from within, out of the heart of men, (T)proceed evil thoughts, (U)adulteries, (V)fornications, murders, 22 thefts, (W)covetousness, wickedness, (X)deceit, (Y)lewdness, an evil eye, (Z)blasphemy, (AA)pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
A Gentile Shows Her Faith(AB)
24 (AC)From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre [h]and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be (AD)hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and (AE)fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a [i]Greek, a [j]Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept [k]asking Him to cast the demon 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 even the little dogs under the table eat from 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 had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.
Jesus Heals a Deaf-Mute(AF)
31 (AG)Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then (AH)they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and (AI)He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, (AJ)looking up to heaven, (AK)He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
35 (AL)Immediately his ears were opened, and the [l]impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then (AM)He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And they were (AN)astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He (AO)makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Footnotes
- Mark 7:2 NU omits when
- Mark 7:2 NU omits they found fault
- Mark 7:3 Lit. with the fist
- Mark 7:8 NU omits the rest of v. 8.
- Mark 7:9 set aside
- Mark 7:16 NU omits v. 16.
- Mark 7:19 NU sets off the final phrase as Mark’s comment that Jesus has declared all foods clean.
- Mark 7:24 NU omits and Sidon
- Mark 7:26 Gentile
- Mark 7:26 A Syrian of Phoenicia
- Mark 7:26 begging
- Mark 7:35 Lit. bond
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2001 by Terence P. Noble
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
