The Traditions of the Elders
1The7:1–23 Mt 15:1–20 Pharisees7:1 Mk 7:3 and some of the scribes7:1 Mt 2:4 who had come from Jerusalem7:1 Mt 23:37 gathered around him.
2They observed that some of his disciples were eating bread with unclean7:2 Ac 10:28 — 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.
but their heart is far from me.
7
They worship me in vain,
teaching
7:7
Mt 28:20; Ac 4:2; 2Tm 4:11
as doctrines7:7 Rm 15:4 human commands.7:6–7Is 29:137:7 Is 29:13; Col 2:22
8
Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.”
7:8
Other mss add The washing of jugs, and cups, and many other similar things you practice.
9He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up7:9 Or to maintain your tradition!
10For Moses7:10 Ps 77:20; Mt 8:4; Heb 3:2 said: Honor your father and your mother; 7:10Ex 20:12; Dt 5:167:10 Ex 20:12; Dt 5:16 and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.7:10 Ex 21:17; Lv 20:97:10 Ex 21:17; Lv 20:9
11But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit7:11 Mk 5:26 you might have received from me is corban’” (that is, an offering7:11 Heb 5:1; 9:9; 11:4 devoted to God),
12“you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.
14Summoning7:14 Lk 18:16 the crowd again, he told them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand:7:14 Mt 13:13
15Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”7:15 Some mss include v. 16: “If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”
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 stomach7:19 Php 3:19 and is eliminated” (thus he declared all foods clean7:19 1Jn 1:7).
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,7:21 1Th 4:3 thefts, murders,7:21 Pr 1:16
22adulteries,7:22 Nm 5:11 greed,7:22 Eph 5:3 evil actions, deceit,7:22 Ps 10:7 self-indulgence,7:22 Rm 13:13; 2Co 12:21; Gl 5:19; Eph 4:19; 1Pt 4:3; 2Pt 2:2,7,18 envy,7:22 Or evil eye slander,7:22 Jn 10:33; Rv 13:6 pride,7:22 Ps 17:10 and foolishness.7:22 2Co 11:1
23All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”
A Gentile Mother’s Faith
24He got up and departed from7:24–30 Mt 15:21–28 there to the region of Tyre.7:24 Many early mss add and Sidon7:24 Ac 21:7 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 spirit7:25 Lk 11:24 came and fell at his feet.7:25 Lk 8:47
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,7:31 Ac 21:7 he went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,7:31 Mt 4:18; 15:29; Mk 1:16; Jn 6:1 through7:31 Or into the region of the Decapolis.7:31 Mt 4:25; Mk 5:20
32They brought to him a deaf7:32 Lk 7:22 man who had difficulty speaking7:32 Ex 4:11; Is 35:6; 56:10 and begged Jesus to lay his hand on7:32 1Tm 5:22 him.
33So he took him away from the crowd in private. After putting his fingers in the man’s ears and spitting,7:33 Jn 9:6 he touched his tongue.
34Looking up to heaven,7:34 Mt 24:35; Lk 12:33; Ac 17:24; Eph 6:9; Rv 21:10 he sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” 7:34 An Aramaic expression (that is, “Be opened!”).
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