Mark 7:1-23 ▼

1 AND the Pharisees, and some of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem, collected together around him.

2 And seeing some of his disciples eating bread with hands unclean, that is, unwashed, they found fault.

3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands to the wrist, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

4 And coming from the market, unless they have washed, they never eat. And there are many other things which they have by tradition received to observe, as the washings of cups, and pots, and vessels of brass, and couches.

5 Then the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, Why do not thy disciples walk conformable to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?

6 Then he answering said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, ?This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7 Now vainly do they worship me, while teaching doctrines the commandments of men.?

8 For leaving the command of God, ye adhere to the tradition of men, the washings of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye practise.

9 And he said to them, Strangely do ye make void the command of God, that ye may observe your tradition.

10 For Moses said, ?Honour thy father and thy mother:? and ?he that curseth father or mother, let him assuredly be put to death.?

11 But ye affirm, If a man say to his father or mother, it is Corban (that is, a gift), which otherwise might have been advantageous to thee from me;

12 then ye permit him no more to do any thing for his father, or his mother;

13 abrogating the word of God by the tradition, which ye have transmitted down; and many such like things ye do.

14 And he called to him all the multitude, and said unto them, hear me all of you, and understand.

15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him, can make him unclean: but the things which come out from him, these are the things which make a man unclean.

16 If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.

17 And when he was come into the house from the multitude, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

18 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?

19 because it entereth not into his heart, but into his belly, and goeth out into the vault, carrying off all the impurities of the food.

20 But, said he, what cometh out of a man, that makes a man unclean.

21 For from within out of the heart of men proceed wicked reasonings, adulteries, whoredoms, murders,

22 thefts, inordinate cravings, mischievous actions, knavery, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, folly:

23 all these wicked things come from within, and render a person unclean.