| 7:1 |
And the Pharisees and some of the scribes, arriving from Jerusalem, gathered together before him. |
| 7:2 |
And when they had seen certain ones from his disciples eating bread with common hands, that is, with unwashed hands, they disparaged them. |
| 7:3 |
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat without repeatedly washing their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders. |
| 7:4 |
And when returning from the market, unless they wash, they do not eat. And there are many other things which have been handed down to them to observe: the washings of cups, and pitchers, and bronze containers, and beds. |
| 7:5 |
And so the Pharisees and the scribes questioned him: “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but they eat bread with common hands?” |
| 7:6 |
But in response, he said to them: “So well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, just as it has been written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. |
| 7:7 |
And in vain do they worship me, teaching the doctrines and precepts of men.’ |
| 7:8 |
For abandoning the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men, to the washing of pitchers and cups. And you do many other things similar to these.” |
| 7:9 |
And he said to them: “You effectively nullify the precept of God, so that you may observe your own tradition. |
| 7:10 |
For Moses said: ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever will have cursed father or mother, let him die a death.’ |
| 7:11 |
But you say, ‘If a man will have said to his father or mother: Korban, (which is a gift) whatever is from me will be to your benefit,’ |
| 7:12 |
then you do not release him to do anything for his father or mother, |
| 7:13 |
rescinding the word of God through your tradition, which you have handed down. And you do many other similar things in this way.” |
| 7:14 |
And again, calling the crowd to him, he said to them: “Listen to me, all of you, and understand. |
| 7:15 |
There is nothing from outside a man which, by entering into him, is able to defile him. But the things which procede from a man, these are what pollute a man. |
| 7:16 |
Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” |
| 7:17 |
And when he had entered into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable. |
| 7:18 |
And he said to them: “So, are you also without prudence? Do you not understand that everything entering to a man from outside is not able to pollute him? |
| 7:19 |
For it does not enter into his heart, but into the gut, and it exits into the sewer, purging all foods.” |
| 7:20 |
“But,” he said “the things which go out from a man, these pollute a man. |
| 7:21 |
For from within, from the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, |
| 7:22 |
thefts, avarice, wickedness, deceitfulness, homosexuality, an evil eye, blasphemy, self-exaltation, foolishness. |
| 7:23 |
All these evils procede from within and pollute a man.” |
| 7:24 |
And rising up, he went from there to the area of Tyre and Sidon. And entering into a house, he intended no one to know about it, but he was not able to remain hidden. |
| 7:25 |
For a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit, as soon as she heard about him, entered and fell prostrate at his feet. |
| 7:26 |
For the woman was a Gentile, by birth a Syro-Phoenician. And she petitioned him, so that he would cast the demon from her daughter. |
| 7:27 |
And he said to her: “First allow the sons to have their fill. For it is not good to take away the bread of the sons and throw it to the dogs.” |
| 7:28 |
But she responded by saying to him: “Certainly, Lord. Yet the young dogs also eat, under the table, from the crumbs of the children.” |
| 7:29 |
And he said to her, “Because of this saying, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” |
| 7:30 |
And when she had gone to her house, she found the girl lying on the bed; and the demon had gone away. |
| 7:31 |
And again, departing from the borders of Tyre, he went by way of Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the area of the Ten Cities. |
| 7:32 |
And they brought someone who was deaf and mute to him. And they begged him, so that he would lay his hand upon him. |
| 7:33 |
And taking him away from the crowd, he put his fingers into his ears; and spitting, he touched his tongue. |
| 7:34 |
And gazing up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: “Ephphatha,” which is, “Be opened.” |
| 7:35 |
And immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke correctly. |
| 7:36 |
And he instructed them not to tell anyone. But as much as he instructed them, so much more did they preach about it. |
| 7:37 |
And so much more did they wonder, saying: “He has done all things well. He has caused both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” |
