Mark 7:1-23

Mark 7

Commandments and Traditions

¹ The Pharisees and some of the experts in the law came from Jerusalem and gathered around Jesus. ² They saw some of his disciples eating bread with unclean (that is, unwashed) hands. ³ In fact, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they scrub their hands with a fist, ^[1] holding to the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. ^[2] And there are many other traditions they adhere to, such as the washing ^[3] of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches. ^{[4] 5} The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked Jesus, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead they eat bread with unclean hands.”

⁶ He answered them, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written:

⁸ “You abandon God’s commandment but hold to human tradition like the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” ^{[6] 9} He continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside God’s commandment to keep ^[7] your own tradition. ¹⁰ For example, Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ ^[8] and ‘Whoever speaks evil of his father or mother must be put to death.’ ^{[9] 11} But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you might have received from me is corban”’ ^[10] (which means an offering), ¹² then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. ¹³ So you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. You do many things like that.”

¹⁴ He called the crowd to him again and said, “Everyone, listen to me and understand. ¹⁵ There is nothing outside of a man that can make him unclean by going into him. But the things that come out of a man are what make a man unclean. ¹⁶ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” ^[11]

¹⁷ After he had left the crowd and entered a house, his disciples asked him about this illustration. ¹⁸ He said, “Are you lacking in understanding too? Do you not understand that whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot make him unclean? ¹⁹ For it does not enter his heart but goes into his stomach and goes out of him into the latrine—in this way all foods are purified.” ^[12]

²⁰ He continued, “What comes out of a man, that is what makes a man unclean. ²¹ In fact, from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual sins, theft, murder, ²² adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained immorality, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. ²³ All these evil things proceed from within and make a person unclean.”