¹ Mark 7:1 The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, ² Mark 7:2 and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. ³ Mark 7:3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; ⁴ Mark 7:4 and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) ⁵ Mark 7:5 The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?” ⁶ Mark 7:6 And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ⁷ Mark 7:7 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’ ⁸ Mark 7:8 “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.” ⁹ Mark 7:9 He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. ¹⁰ Mark 7:10 “For Moses said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’; and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH’; ¹¹ Mark 7:11 but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’ ¹² Mark 7:12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; ¹³ Mark 7:13 thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.” ¹⁴ Mark 7:14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵ Mark 7:15 there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. ¹⁶ Mark 7:16 [“If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”] ¹⁷ Mark 7:17 When He had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. ¹⁸ Mark 7:18 And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ Mark 7:19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.) ²⁰ Mark 7:20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. ²¹ Mark 7:21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, ²² Mark 7:22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. ²³ Mark 7:23 “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”