Mark 7:1-23 ▼

1 And there came together to him the Pharisees, and some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem:

2 and when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with common, that is, with unwashed hands:

3 (for the Pharisees and all the Jews eat not, unless they wash their hands carefully, because they hold the tradition of the elders:

4 and when they come from the market, they do not eat, unless they immerse themselves. And there are many other things, which they have received to hold, as the immersion of cups and pitchers and brazen vessels and beds:)

5 then the Pharisees and the 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 hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7 In vain do they worship me, teaching precepts, the commandments of men.

8 For, neglecting the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the immersion of pitchers and cups; and many other things like these you do.

9 And he said to them: Well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.

10 For Moses said: Honor your father and your mother; and, He that curses father or mother shall surely be put to death.

11 But you say: If a man shall say to his father or mother, What ever of mine might benefit you, is Corban, (which means, a gift,)

12 you no longer suffer him to do any thing for his father or mother,

13 making the word of God of no effect by your tradition, which you have delivered; and many things like these you do.

14 And he called the whole multitude to him, and said to them: Hear me, all of you, and understand.

15 There is nothing with out that, by entering into a man, can defile him. But those things which come out of the man, defile him.

16 If any one has ears to hear, let him hear.

17 And when he had gone into the house, away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the dark saying.

18 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?

19 Because it does not enter into his heart, but into his belly, and goes out into the sink, cleansing all food.

20 And he said: What comes out of the man, is that which defiles the man.

21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the purposes which are evil: adulteries, lewd actions, murders,

22 thefts, schemes for extortion, wicked deeds, deceit, wantonness, an evil eye, calumny, haughtiness, impiety.

23 All these evil things come forth from within, and defile the man.