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14 Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”[a]

17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 He said to them, “So, are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19 since it enters not the heart but the stomach and goes out into the sewer?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith

24 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre.[b] He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Sir,[c] even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And when she went home, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.

Jesus Cures a Deaf Man

31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went by way of Sidon toward the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. 32 They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.(A) 33 He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue.(B) 34 Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”(C) 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.(D) 36 Then Jesus[d] ordered them to tell no one, but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.(E) 37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

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Footnotes

  1. 7.15 Other ancient authorities add 7.16: “If you have ears to hear, then hear”
  2. 7.24 Other ancient authorities add and Sidon
  3. 7.28 Or Lord; other ancient authorities prefix Yes
  4. 7.36 Gk he

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [16] [a]

17 After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him(A) about this parable. 18 “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19 For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods(B) clean.)(C)

20 He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21 For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed,(D) malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith(E)

24 Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.[b](F) He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit(G) came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27 “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

28 “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

29 Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”

30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man(H)

31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre(I) and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee(J) and into the region of the Decapolis.[c](K) 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk,(L) and they begged Jesus to place his hand on(M) him.

33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit(N) and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven(O) and with a deep sigh(P) said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.(Q)

36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.(R) But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:16 Some manuscripts include here the words of 4:23.
  2. Mark 7:24 Many early manuscripts Tyre and Sidon
  3. Mark 7:31 That is, the Ten Cities