Mark 7:18
New International Version
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?

New Living Translation
“Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you?

English Standard Version
And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him,

Berean Standard Bible
“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him,

Berean Literal Bible
And He says to them, "Thus are you also without understanding? Do you not understand that everything entering into the man from outside is not able to defile him,

King James Bible
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

New King James Version
So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,

New American Standard Bible
And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding as well? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him,

NASB 1995
And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him,

NASB 1977
And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him;

Legacy Standard Bible
And He said to them, “Are you lacking understanding in this way as well? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him,

Amplified Bible
And He said to them, “Are you, too, so foolish and lacking in understanding? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile and dishonor him,

Christian Standard Bible
He 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?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
And He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a man from the outside can defile him?

American Standard Version
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from without goeth into the man, it cannot defile him;

Contemporary English Version
He answered, "Don't you know what I am talking about by now? You surely know that the food you put into your mouth cannot make you unclean.

English Revised Version
And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from without goeth into the man, it cannot defile him;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand? Don't you know that whatever goes into a person from the outside can't make him unclean?

Good News Translation
"You are no more intelligent than the others," Jesus said to them. "Don't you understand? Nothing that goes into you from the outside can really make you unclean,

International Standard Version
He asked them, "Are you so ignorant? Don't you know that nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean?

Majority Standard Bible
?Are you still so dull?? He asked. ?Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him,

NET Bible
He said to them, "Are you so foolish? Don't you understand that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him?

New Heart English Bible
He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him,

Webster's Bible Translation
And he saith to them, Are ye so void of understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him.

Weymouth New Testament
"Have *you* also so little understanding?" He replied; "do you not understand that anything whatever that enters a man from outside cannot make him unclean,

World English Bible
He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and He says to them, “So also you are without understanding! Do you not perceive that nothing from outside entering into the man is able to defile him?

Berean Literal Bible
And He says to them, "Thus are you also without understanding? Do you not understand that everything entering into the man from outside is not able to defile him,

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith to them, 'So also ye are without understanding! Do ye not perceive that nothing from without entering into the man is able to defile him?

Smith's Literal Translation
And he says, So are ye also without understanding? Do ye not perceive, that anything from without entering into a man, cannot pollute him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he saith to them: So are you also without knowledge? understand you not that every thing from without, entering into a man cannot defile him:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to them: “So, are you also without prudence? Do you not understand that everything entering to a man from outside is not able to pollute him?

New American Bible
He said to them, “Are even you likewise without understanding? Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile,

New Revised Standard Version
He said to them, “Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he said to them, So even you are puzzled. Do you not know that whatever enters into a man from outside cannot defile him?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
He said to them, “Are you also stupid? Do you not know that nothing entering from outside a man can defile him?”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And he said to them: Are you also so void of understanding? Do you not perceive that nothing from without, by entering into a man, can defile him?

Godbey New Testament
And He says to them, Are you still without understanding? Do you not know that everything external entering into a man is not able to defile him?

Haweis New Testament
And he saith to them, Are ye also so defective of intelligence? Do you not consider, that every thing from without that entereth into a man, cannot make him unclean?

Mace New Testament
and he said, are you likewise so void of understanding? don't you perceive that what passes from without into a man cannot defile him?

Weymouth New Testament
"Have *you* also so little understanding?" He replied; "do you not understand that anything whatever that enters a man from outside cannot make him unclean,

Worrell New Testament
And He saith to them, "Are ye too thus without understanding? Do ye not perceive that nothing, entering into a man from without, can defile him;

Worsley New Testament
And He saith unto them, Are ye so void of understanding also? Do ye not know, that whatsoever from without entreth into a man cannot defile him?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
What Defiles a Man
17After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples inquired about the parable. 18“Are you still so dull?” He asked. Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, 19because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)…

Cross References
Matthew 15:16-17
“Do you still not understand?” Jesus asked. / “Do you not yet realize that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then is eliminated?

Acts 10:14-15
“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” / The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

Romans 14:14
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

1 Corinthians 6:13
“Food for the stomach and the stomach for food,” but God will destroy them both. The body is not intended for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

1 Timothy 4:4-5
For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Genesis 9:3
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.

Leviticus 11:1-47
The LORD spoke again to Moses and Aaron, telling them, / “Say to the Israelites, ‘Of all the beasts of the earth, these ones you may eat: / You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. ...

Deuteronomy 14:3-21
You must not eat any detestable thing. / These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat, / the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. ...

Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.

Ezekiel 4:14
“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have not eaten anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”

Hosea 9:3
They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.

Acts 11:8-9
‘No, Lord,’ I said, ‘for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ / But the voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’

Romans 14:20
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.

Colossians 2:16-17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.

Colossians 2:20-22
If you have died with Christ to the spiritual forces of the world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its regulations: / “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”? / These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.


Treasury of Scripture

And he said to them, Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive, that whatever thing from without enters into the man, it cannot defile him;

Mark 4:13
And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

Isaiah 28:9,10
Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts…

Jeremiah 5:4,5
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God…

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Mark 7
1. The Pharisees find fault with the disciples for eating with unwashed hands.
8. They break the commandment of God by the traditions of men.
14. Food defiles not the man.
24. He heals the Syrophenician woman's daughter of an unclean spirit;
31. and one that was deaf, and stammered in his speech.














Do you still not understand?
This phrase reflects Jesus' gentle rebuke and teaching moment with His disciples. The Greek word for "understand" is "νοέω" (noeō), which means to perceive or comprehend. Jesus is addressing the disciples' lack of spiritual insight. Historically, the disciples often struggled to grasp the deeper meanings of Jesus' teachings, which were sometimes veiled in parables or counter-cultural truths. This question invites believers to seek deeper spiritual understanding and discernment, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond surface-level interpretations of spiritual truths.

He asked
The act of asking here is significant. Jesus often used questions to provoke thought and self-reflection. The Greek word "λέγω" (legō) is used, which means to say or speak. This method of teaching is consistent with rabbinic traditions where questions are used to engage students actively. It highlights Jesus' role as a teacher who desires His followers to engage with His teachings actively and thoughtfully.

Do you not see
The phrase "do you not see" uses the Greek word "βλέπω" (blepō), which means to see or perceive. This is not just about physical sight but spiritual insight. Jesus is urging His disciples to look beyond the physical and understand the spiritual implications of His teachings. This call to perception is a reminder for believers to seek spiritual clarity and wisdom, recognizing that true understanding often requires looking beyond the obvious.

that nothing that enters a man from the outside
Here, Jesus challenges the prevailing Jewish purity laws that focused on external rituals and dietary restrictions. The phrase emphasizes the distinction between external actions and internal purity. Historically, Jewish customs were deeply rooted in the Torah, where dietary laws were a significant aspect of religious life. Jesus is redirecting the focus from external adherence to internal transformation, a theme that resonates throughout His ministry.

can defile him?
The word "defile" comes from the Greek "κοινόω" (koinoō), meaning to make common or unclean. In the Jewish context, defilement was a serious concern, often associated with ritual impurity. Jesus is teaching that true defilement is not about external factors but the condition of the heart. This revolutionary idea shifts the focus from ritual purity to moral and spiritual integrity, encouraging believers to prioritize inner holiness over external conformity.

Verses 18, 19. - Our Lord had already, in his sermon on the mount, taught his disciples fully wherein purity or impurity of heart consists, and he might, therefore, with good reason, ask them how it was that they, even they who had been so favored by being constantly with him, had forgotten or misunderstood him. Our Lord's illustration is physically accurate. The portion carried off is that which by its removal purifies what remains. The part which is available for nourishment is, in its passage through the system, converted into chyle, the matter from which the blood is formed. What is not available for nourishment passes away into the ἀφεδρών, or draught, Purging all meats. The most approved reading here is undoubtedly the masculine (καθαρἰζων), and not the neuter (καθαρίζον). This change of reading compels a somewhat different construction. Accepting, therefore, the masculine as the true reading, the only possible rendering is that which makes this last clause a comment by the evangelist upon our Lord's previous words, in which he indicates to the reader that our Lord intended by this illustration to show that no food, of whatever kind, when received with thanksgiving, can make a man unclean. The clause must, therefore, be connected with the preceding words, by the introduction of the words, in italics, "This he said, making all meats clean." The passage, thus rendered, becomes a very significant exposition of what has gone before. It is well worthy of notice that this explanation is to be found in St. Chrysostom (Homily on St. Matthew 15.): Ὁ δὲ Μάρκος φησὶν ὅτι καθαρίζων τὰ βρώματα ταῦτα ἔλεγεν: "But Mark affirms that he said these things, making the meats clean." It may be added that this explanation agrees finely with the words in Acts 10:15, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“Are
ἐστε (este)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

you
ὑμεῖς (hymeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

still
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

so
Οὕτως (Houtōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3779: Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).

dull?”
ἀσύνετοί (asynetoi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 801: Unintelligent, without wisdom, unwise, undiscerning (implying probably moral defect). By implication, wicked.

He asked.
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“Do you not understand?
νοεῖτε (noeite)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3539: From nous; to exercise the mind, i.e. to comprehend, heed.

Nothing
πᾶν (pan)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

that
τὸ (to)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

enters
εἰσπορευόμενον (eisporeuomenon)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1531: To journey in(to), I go in(to), enter, intervene. From eis and poreuomai; to enter.

a
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

man
ἄνθρωπον (anthrōpon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

from the outside
ἔξωθεν (exōthen)
Adverb
Strong's 1855: (a) from outside, from without, (b) outside, both as adj. and prep; with article: the outside. From exo; external(-ly).

can
δύναται (dynatai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

defile
κοινῶσαι (koinōsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 2840: To make unclean, pollute, desecrate, mid: I regard (treat) as unclean. From koinos; to make profane.

him,
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Gospels: Mark 7:18 He said to them Are you thus (Mar Mk Mr)
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