Mark 7

Mark 7:1

Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus,

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Mark 7:2

and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed.

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Mark 7:3

Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.

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oft or , diligently , Gr. With the fist , Up to the elbow , Theophylact. ץדלח [Strong's G4435] , the fist; which Dr. Lightfoot illustrates by a tradition from the Talmudical tracts , that when they washed their hands , they washed the fist up to the joint of the arm , עד פרק. The Jews laid great stress on these washings , or baptisms , גבנפיףלןץע [Strong's G909] , considering eating with unwashen hands no ordinary crime , and feigning that an evil spirit , called Shibta , has a right to sit on the food of him who thus eats , and render it hurtful.

Mark 7:4

And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.

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pots "Gr. Sextarius; about a pint and a half."

tables or , beds

Mark 7:5

So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.”

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Mark 7:6

Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

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Mark 7:7

They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’

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Mark 7:8

You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.”

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Mark 7:9

He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.

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Mark 7:10

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

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Mark 7:11

But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God),

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Mark 7:12

he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother.

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Mark 7:13

Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”

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Mark 7:14

Once again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “All of you, listen to Me and understand:

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Mark 7:15

Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.”

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There Though it is very true , says Dr. Doddridge , that a man may bring guilt upon himself by eating to excess , and a Jew , by eating what was forbidden by the Mosaic law; yet still the pollution would arise from the wickedness of the heart , and be just proportionable to it , which is all our Lord asserts.

Mark 7:16

Mark 7:17

After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples inquired about the parable.

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Mark 7:18

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

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Mark 7:19

because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)

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Mark 7:20

He continued: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.

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Mark 7:21

For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

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Mark 7:22

greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness.

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covetousness , wickedness Gr. covetousnesses , wickednesses

Mark 7:23

All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

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Mark 7:24

Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice.

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Mark 7:25

Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet.

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Mark 7:26

Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

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Mark 7:27

“First let the children have their fill,” He said. “For it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

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Mark 7:28

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

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Mark 7:29

Then Jesus told her, “Because of this answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.”

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Mark 7:30

And she went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone.

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Mark 7:31

Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.

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Mark 7:32

Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him.

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Mark 7:33

So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue.

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put This was clearly a symbolical action; for these remedies evidently could not , by their natural efficacy , avail to produce so wonderful an effect. As the ears of the deaf appear closed , he applies his fingers to intimate that he would open them; and as the tongue of the dumb seems to be tied , or to cleave to the palate , he touches it , to intimate he would give loose and free motion to it. He accommodated himself to the weakness of those who might not indeed doubt his power , but fancy some external sign was requisite to healing. It was also thus made manifest , that this salutiferous power came from Himself , and that He who by one word , וצצבטב [Strong's G2188] , had healed the man , must be Divine.

Mark 7:34

And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).

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Mark 7:35

Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.

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Mark 7:36

Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.

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Mark 7:37

The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

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