The Tradition of the Elders
(Matthew 15:1–9)

1And there gather together to Him the Pharisees, and some of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem, 2and saw that some of His disciples ate bread with defiled, that is, unwashed hands. 3For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands thoroughly, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders; 4and, coming from the marketplace, unless they immerse themselves, they do not eat; and there are many other things which they received to hold; as, immersion of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels. 5And the Pharisees and the scribes ask Him, "Why do not Thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"

6And He said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it has been written, This people honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.

7But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.

8Having left the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men."

9And He said to them, "Well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may hold your tradition! 10For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.' 11But ye say, 'If a man say to his father or mother, That wherewith you might be profited by me is Corban,' that is, 'an offering to God,' 12ye no longer suffer him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye handed down; and many such things ye do."

What Defiles a Man
(Matthew 15:10–20)

14And, again calling the multitude, He said to them, "Hear Me, all of you, and understand: 15there is nothing from without the man, that, entering into him, can defile him; but the things proceeding out of the man are those that defile the man." 16OMITTED TEXT.

17And, when He entered into the house from the multitude, His disciples asked of Him the parable. 18And 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; 19because it goes not into his heart, but into the belly, and passes out into the drain?" This He said, making all foods clean. 20And He said, "That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. 21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22covetings, wickednesses, deceit, wantonness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man."

The Faith of the Gentile Woman
(Matthew 15:21–28)

24And, rising up, He went thence into the borders of Tyre and Sidon; and, entering into a house, He wished no one to know it. And He could not be hid. 25But straightway a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of Him, coming, fell down at His feet. 26And the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. And she kept asking Him to cast forth the demon out of her daughter. 27And He said to her, "Suffer the children first to be satisfied; for it is not good to take the children's bread, and cast it to the little dogs." 28But she answered, and says to Him, "Yes, Lord; even the little dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." 29And He said to her, "Because of this word go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter." 30And, going away into her own house, she found the child laid upon the bed, and the demon gone out.

The Deaf and Mute Man
(Matthew 9:27–34)

31And again, going forth out of the borders of Tyre, He came through Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis. 32And they bring to Him one deaf, and speaking with difficulty; and they beseech Him to lay His hand upon him. 33And, taking him aside from the multitude privately, He put His fingers into his ears; and, spitting, He touched his tongue; 34and looking up to Heaven, He sighed, and saith to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." 35And his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he was speaking properly. 36And He charged them that they should tell no one; but the more He charged them, the more a great deal did they publish it. 37And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He hath done all things well: He maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."