Mark, 7

1. Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

1. One day the Pharisees gathered around Jesus and with them were some teachers of the Law who had just come from Jerusalem.

2. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

2. They noticed that some of his disciples were eating their meal with unclean hands, that is, without washing them.

3. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

3. Now the Pharisees, and in fact, all the Jews, never eat without washing their hands for they follow the tradition received from their ancestors.

4. And [when they come] from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

4. Nor do they eat anything when they come from the market without first washing themselves. And there are many other traditions they observe, for example, the ritual washing of cups, pots and plates.

5. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

5. So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked him, "Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders, but eat with unclean hands?"

6. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.

6. Jesus answered, "You, shallow people! How well Isaiah prophesied of you when he wrote: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

7. The worship they offer me is worthless, for what they teach are only human rules.

8. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

8. You even put aside the commandment of God to hold fast to human tradition."

9. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

9. And Jesus commented, "You have a fine way of disregarding the commandment of God in order to implant your own tradition.

10. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

10. For example, Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and: Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death.

11. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, [It is] Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; [he shall be free].

11. But according to you someone could say to his father or mother: 'I already declared Corban, which means "offered to God," what you could have expected from me.'

12. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

12. In this case, you no longer let him do anything for a father or mother.

13. Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

13. So you nullify the word of God through the tradition you have handed on. And you do many other things like that."

14. And when he had called all the people [unto him], he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one [of you], and understand:

14. Jesus then called the people to him again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and try to understand.

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

15. Nothing that enters one from outside can make that person unclean. It is what comes out from within that makes unclean.

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

16. Let everyone who has ears listen."

17. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

17. When Jesus got home and was away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about this saying

18. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, [it] cannot defile him;

18. and he replied, "So even you are dull? Do you not see that whatever comes from outside cannot make a person unclean?

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

19. Since it enters, not the heart but the stomach and is finally passed out." Thus Jesus declared that all foods are clean.

20. And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

20. And he went on, "What comes out of a person is what defiles,

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

21. for evil designs come out of the heart: theft, murder,

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

22. adultery, jealousy, greed, maliciousness, deceit, indecency, slander, pride and folly.

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

23. All these evil things come from within and make a person unclean."

24. And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know [it]: but he could not be hid.

24. When Jesus left that place he went to the border of the Tyrian country. There he entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not remain hidden.

25. For a [certain] woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

25. A woman whose small daughter had an evil spirit, heard of him and came and fell at his feet.

26. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

26. Now this woman was a pagan, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast [it] unto the dogs.

27. Jesus told her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

28. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

28. But she replied, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs from the children's bread."

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

29. Then Jesus said to her, "You may go your way; because of such a reply the demon has gone out of your daughter."

30. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

30. And when the woman went home, she found her child lying in bed and the demon gone.

31. And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

31. Again Jesus set out; from the country of Tyre he passed through Sidon and skirting the sea of Galilee he came to the territory of Decapolis.

32. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

32. There a deaf man who also had difficulty in speaking was brought to him. They asked Jesus to lay his hand upon him.

33. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

33. Jesus took him apart from the crowd, put his fingers into the man's ears and touched his tongue with spittle.

34. And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

34. Then, looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him, "Ephphetha," that is, "Be opened."

35. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

35. And his ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly.

36. And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published [it];

36. Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone, but the more he insisted on this, the more they proclaimed it.

37. And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

37. The people were completely astonished and said, "He has done all things well; he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak."