Bible in a Year.

On day 157, Mark 7-8 highlights Jesus' teachings on inner purity and faith. Psalm 23 offers us comfort, reminding us that the Lord is our shepherd, leading us carefully, protecting us, and renewing our strength in the midst of difficulties.

Chapter 7

1. And there assembled together unto him the Pharisees and some of the scribes, coming from Jerusalem.

2. And when they had seen some of his disciples eat bread with common, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.

3. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews eat not without often washing their hands, holding the tradition of the ancients:

4. And when they come from the market, unless they be washed, they eat not: and many other things there are that have been delivered to them to observe, the washings of cups and of pots, and of brazen vessels, and of beds.

5. And the Pharisees and scribes asked him: Why do not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the ancients, but they eat bread with common hands?

6. But he answering, said to them: Well did Isaias prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7. And in vain to they worship me, teaching doctrines and precepts of men.

8. For leaving the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and of cups: and many other things you do like to these.

9. And he said to them: Well do you make void the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.

10. For Moses said: Honor thy father and thy mother; and He that shall curse father or mother, dying let him die.

11. But you say: If a man shall say to his father or mother, Corban, (which is a gift,) whatsoever is from me, shall profit thee.

12. And further you suffer him not to do any thing for his father or mother,

13. Making void the word of God by your own tradition, which you have given forth. And many other such like things you do.

14. And calling again the multitude unto him, he said to them: Hear ye me all, and understand.

15. There is nothing from without a man that entering into him, can defile him. But the things which come from a man, those are they that defile a man.

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

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

18. And he saith to them: So are you also without knowledge? understand you not that every thing from without, entering into a man cannot defile him:

19. Because it entereth not into his heart, but goeth into the belly, and goeth out into the privy, purging all meats?

20. But he said that the things which come out from a man, they defile a man.

21. For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22. Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.

23. All these evil things come from within, and defile a man.

24. And rising from thence he went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon: and entering into a house, he would that no man should know it, and he could not be hid.

25. For a woman as soon as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, came in and fell down at his feet.

26. For the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophenician born. And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27. Who said to her: Suffer first the children to be filled: for it is not good to take the bread of the children, and cast it to the dogs.

28. But she answered and said to him: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children.

29. And he said to her: For this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30. And when she was come into her house, she found the girl lying upon the bed, and that the devil was gone out.

31. And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32. And they bring to him one deaf and dumb; and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him.

33. And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue:

34. And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened.

35. And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right.

36. And he charged them that they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it.

37. And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Chapter 8

1. In those days again, when there was a great multitude, and had nothing to eat; calling his disciples together, he saith to them:

2. I have compassion on the multitude, for behold they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat.

3. And if I shall send them away fasting to their home, they will faint in the way; for some of them came from afar off.

4. And his disciples answered him: From whence can any one fill them here with bread in the wilderness?

5. And he asked them: How many loaves have ye? Who said: Seven.

6. And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he broke, and gave to his disciples for to set before them; and they set them before the people.

7. And they had a few little fishes; and he blessed them, and commanded them to be set before them.

8. And they did eat and were filled; and they took up that which was left of the fragments, seven baskets.

9. And they that had eaten were about four thousand; and he sent them away.

10. And immediately going up into a ship with his disciples, he came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

11. And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, asking him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

12. And sighing deeply in spirit, he saith: Why doth this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, a sign shall not be given to this generation.

13. And leaving them, he went up again into the ship, and passed to the other side of the water.

14. And they forgot to take bread; and they had but one loaf with them in the ship.

15. And he charged them, saying: Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

16. And they reasoned among themselves, saying: Because we have no bread.

17. Which Jesus knowing, saith to them: Why do you reason, because you have no bread? do you not yet know nor understand? have you still your heart blinded?

18. Having eyes, see you not? and having ears, hear you not? neither do you remember.

19. When I broke the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took you up? They say to him, Twelve.

20. When also the seven loaves among four thousand, how many baskets of fragments took you up? And they say to him, Seven.

21. And he said to them: How do you not yet understand?

22. And they came to Bethsaida; and they bring to him a blind man, and they besought him that he would touch him.

23. And taking the blind man by the hand, he led him out of the town; and spitting upon his eyes, laying his hands on him, he asked him if he saw any thing.

24. And looking up, he said: I see men as it were trees, walking.

25. After that again he laid his hands upon his eyes, and he began to see, and was restored, so that he saw all things clearly.

26. And he sent him into his house, saying: Go into thy house, and if thou enter into the town, tell nobody.

27. And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi. And in the way, he asked his disciples, saying to them: Whom do men say that I am?

28. Who answered him, saying: John the Baptist; but some Elias, and others as one of the prophets.

29. Then he saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Peter answering said to him: Thou art the Christ.

30. And he strictly charged them that they should not tell any man of him.

31. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the ancients and by the high priests, and the scribes, and be killed: and after three days rise again.

32. And he spoke the word openly. And Peter taking him, began to rebuke him.

33. Who turning about and seeing his disciples, threatened Peter, saying: Go behind me, Satan, because thou savorest not the things that are of God, but that are of men.

34. And calling the multitude together with his disciples, he said to them: If any man will follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel, shall save it.

36. For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?

37. Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

38. For he that shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation: the Son of man also will be ashamed of him, when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

39. And he said to them: Amen I say to you, that there are some of them that stand here, who shall not taste death, till they see the kingdom of God coming in power.

1. A psalm for David. The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing.

2. He hath set me in a place of pasture. He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment:

3. he hath converted my soul. He hath led me on the paths of justice, for his own name's sake.

4. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.

5. Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!

6. And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.