Mark 7:1-23

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Traditions of the Elders

7 The^(A) Pharisees^(B) and some of the scribes^(C) who had come from Jerusalem^(D) gathered around Him. ² They observed that some of His disciples were eating their bread with unclean^(E)—that is, unwashed—hands. ³ (For the Pharisees, in fact all the Jews, will not eat unless they wash their hands ritually, keeping the tradition of the elders. ⁴ When they come from the marketplace,^(F) they do not eat unless they have washed.^(G) And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, jugs, copper utensils, and dining couches.^[a](H)) ⁵ Then the Pharisees^(I) and the scribes^(J) asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders,^(K) instead of eating bread with ritually unclean^[b] hands?”

⁶ He answered them, “Isaiah^(L) prophesied^(M) correctly about you hypocrites,^(N) as it is written:^(O)

⁸ Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men.”^{[d] 9} He also said to them, “You completely invalidate God’s command in order to maintain^[e] your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses^(U) said:

¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit^(X) you might have received from me is Corban’” (that is, a gift^(Y) committed to the temple), ¹² “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. ¹³ You revoke God’s word^(Z) by your tradition that you have handed^(AA) down. And you do many other similar things.” ¹⁴ Summoning^(AB) the crowd again, He told them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:^{(AC) 15} Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. [¹⁶ If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!]”^[h]

¹⁷ When He went into the house away from the crowd, the disciples asked Him about the parable. ¹⁸ And He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a man from the outside can defile him? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach^(AD) and is eliminated.”^[i] (As a result, He made all foods clean.^[j](AE)) ²⁰ Then He said, “What comes out of a person—that defiles him. ²¹ For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities,^(AF) thefts, murders,^{(AG) 22} adulteries,^(AH) greed,^(AI) evil actions, deceit,^(AJ) promiscuity,^(AK) stinginess,^[k] blasphemy,^(AL) pride,^(AM) and foolishness.^{(AN) 23} All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”