Mark 7:1-23

The Things That Defile

7¹ Then the Pharisees, and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem. ² Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, they found fault. ³ (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. ⁴ They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace, unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.) ⁵ The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?” ⁶ He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me.
⁷ But in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ [1] ⁸ “For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” ⁹ He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ [2] and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’ [3] ¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban [4], that is to say, given to God;”’ ¹² then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, ¹³ making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this.” ¹⁴ He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand. ¹⁵ There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man. ¹⁶ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” ¹⁷ When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable. ¹⁸ He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him, ¹⁹ because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, thus purifying all foods [5]?” ²⁰ He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. ²¹ For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, ²² covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”