[1] The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem,
[2] and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed.
[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] 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] 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] 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] BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’
[8] “Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”
[9] He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.
[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] 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] you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother;
[13] thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”
[14] After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:
[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] [If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”]
[17] When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable.
[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] because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.)
[20] And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.
[21] For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
[22] deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.
[23] All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”
[24] Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice.
[25] But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet.
[26] Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
[27] And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”
[28] But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children's crumbs.”
[29] And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”
[30] And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left.
[31] Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis.
[32] They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him.
[33] Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva;
[34] and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”
[35] And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly.
[36] And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it.
[37] They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”