The Things That Defile

71 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 e 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 e 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 e 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 e 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 e 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 e defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart , but into his stomach , and is eliminated e e ?" (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 d deeds of coveting and wickedness , as well as deceit , sensuality , envy e , slander , pride and foolishness . 23 "All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man ."

The Syrophoenician Woman's Faith

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 .

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Dumb Man

31 Again He went out from the region of Tyre , and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee , within e 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 ."