Mark 7

1 Then the Pharisees [a Jewish sect that followed strict religious rules] and some [certain, a few] of the scribes [scholars, teachers of the law] who had come [traveled, arrived] from Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine] gathered [assembled, came together] around Jesus [to be with, towards Him], word study 2 and they saw [perceived, noticed] some of His disciples eating [consuming, taking in] with hands [by means of their physical hands, as instruments] that were defiled [unholy, common, unsanctified]—that is [specifically, namely], unwashed [unclean, not ritually purified]. word study 3 Now in holding to the tradition [custom, teaching passed down] of the elders [respected leaders, spiritual guides], the Pharisees [a Jewish sect, strict adherents to the law] and all [every single one, the entire group] the Jews [people of Judah, descendants of Abraham] do not eat [consume food, participate in a meal] until they wash [cleanse, purify] their hands [physical hands, symbol of action] ceremonially [with ritual, in a traditional manner]. word study 4 And on returning [coming back, from the marketplace] from the market [place of commerce, agora], they do not eat [consume food, partake] unless they wash [bathe themselves, baptize]. And there are many [numerous, abundant] other traditions [customs, rituals] for them to observe [follow, hold to], including [such as] the washing [baptism, ritual cleansing] of cups [vessels, pottery], pitchers [jars, containers], kettles [brazen vessels, metal pots], and couches [beds, dining tables] for dining [eating, reclining]. word study 5 So the Pharisees [a Jewish sect that followed strict religious rules] and scribes [scholars or teachers of the law] questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples [learners or pupils] not walk [live or conduct themselves] according to [in line with, following] the tradition [a teaching or law passed down] of the elders [respected leaders in the community]? Instead, they eat [consume food] with defiled [unwashed, unclean] hands [literally or figuratively, as a symbol of spiritual purity].” word study 6 Jesus answered them, “Isaiah [the prophet] prophesied correctly [truly, with precision] about you hypocrites [those who pretend to be righteous, insincere], as it is written: ‘These people honor [show respect, reverence] Me with their lips [words, outward profession], but their hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] are far [distant, separated] from Me [away from My presence, will]. word study 7 They worship [revere, adore] Me [I, the divine Speaker] in vain [to no purpose, without genuine heart]; they teach [instruct, guide] as doctrine [teachings, instructions] the precepts [commands, rules] of men [human beings, mortal creatures].’ word study 8 You have disregarded [turned away from, rejected] the commandment [divine instruction, order] of God [the one true deity] to keep [obey, follow] the tradition [teaching, law passed down] of men [human beings, mortal creatures]. ” word study 9 He went on to say, “You [cleverly, with cunning] neatly set aside [reject, put away] the command [divine instruction, law] of God [the one true deity] to maintain [keep, observe] your own [personal, man-made] tradition [custom, teaching passed down]. word study 10 For Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] said, ‘Honor [show respect and value] your father [male parent, paternal ancestor] and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses [speaks evil of, reviles] his father or mother must be put to death [executed, suffer the penalty of death].’ word study 11 But you [ye, as in a direct address] say that if a man [a human, an individual] says to his father [a male parent, an ancestor] or mother [a female parent, a nurturer], ‘Whatever [that which, anything] you would have received [gotten, obtained] from me is Corban’ (that is [meaning, namely], a gift [a present] devoted [dedicated, set apart] to God [the Supreme Being, the Almighty]), word study 12 he is no longer [not anymore, no more] permitted [allowed, given permission] to do [make, perform] anything [nothing, none] for his father [male parent, paternal ancestor] or [either, alternatively] mother [female parent, maternal ancestor]. word study 13 Thus you nullify [make void, set aside] the word [Logos, divine message] of God [the one true deity] by the tradition [teachings passed down] you have handed down [delivered, surrendered]. And you do so [practice, observe] in many [a large number] such [similar, alike] matters [things, customs].” word study 14 Once again [and also, at another time] Jesus called [summoned, invited] the crowd [large group of people, multitude] to Him and said, “All of you [every one of you, all people], listen [hear and obey] to Me [I, the speaker] and understand [comprehend, discern]: word study 15 Nothing [none, not a single thing] that enters [goes into, is taken in by] a man from the outside [externally, from without] can defile [make unclean, profane] him; but the things [actions, words, thoughts] that come out [proceed, emanate] of a man, these [those specific things] are what defile [corrupt, pollute] him.” word study 17 After Jesus had left [gone away from, departed] the crowd [a large group of people, a multitude] and gone into [entered, came into] the house [a physical dwelling, a home], His disciples [learners, followers] inquired [asked, questioned] about [concerning, regarding] the parable [a story that teaches a moral lesson, an illustration]. word study 18 “Are you still so [without understanding, senseless] dull?” He asked. “Do you not [perceive, comprehend] understand? Nothing [not a single thing] that enters a man from the outside [external] can [is able to] defile him [make him unclean, profane], word study 19 because it does not enter [into the inner being, spiritually] his heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions], but it goes into [enters physically] the stomach [belly, womb] and then is eliminated [passes out of the body, purged].” (Thus [in this way, as a result] all [every kind of] foods [meats, nourishment] are clean [purified, made holy].) word study 20 He continued: “What [that which proceedeth out, comes out from within] comes out of a man [a human being, from the inside of a person], that [those things, the evil that] is what [which thing, the corruption that] defiles [makes unclean, profanes] him [the person, a human]. word study 21 For from [inwardly, from the inside out] within the hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions] of men [human beings, people] come [proceed, originate] evil [harmful, wicked] thoughts [reasoning, thinking], sexual immorality [fornications, unclean pleasures], theft [stealing, taking what is not one’s own], murder [killing, taking a life], adultery [cheating, being unfaithful], word study 22 greed [covetousness, avarice], wickedness [depravity, malice], deceit [trickery, cunning], debauchery [licentiousness, wantonness], envy [an evil eye], slander [evil speaking, blasphemy], arrogance [pride, haughtiness], and foolishness [senselessness, recklessness]. word study 23 All [every, each one] these [evil, bad] evils [morally wrong] come [proceed, depart] from [inside, inwardly] within, and [also] these [same, specific] are what [things, actions] defile [make unclean, profane] a [human, person] man [a human being].” word study 24 Jesus left that place [from there, thence] and went to the region [borders, coasts] of Tyre [a major port in ancient Phoenicia]. Not wanting [desiring that no one should know] anyone to know [be aware, recognize] He was there [present, in their midst], He entered [went into, stepped into] a house [home, dwelling], but was unable [could not, lacked the power] to escape [hide, remain hidden] their notice [awareness, observation]. word study 25 Instead, a woman [whose young daughter] whose little daughter [a term of endearment] had an unclean [impure] spirit soon heard [to hear and understand] about Jesus, and she came [to come or go] and fell [to fall down] at His feet [a symbol of reverence]. word study 26 Now she was a [Gentile, non-Jewish] Greek woman of [Syrian Phoenician, from the region of Phoenicia in Syria] Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking [begging, besought] Jesus to drive [cast forth, expel] the [evil, unclean] demon out of her [female child, descendant] daughter. word study 27 “First [before others, in priority] let the children [the Jewish people, God’s chosen ones] have their fill [be satisfied, eat until they’re full],” He said. “For it is not right [just, fair, or good] to take the children’s bread [God’s provision, spiritual nourishment] and toss [throw, cast] it to the dogs [Gentiles, those outside God’s covenant].” word study 28 “Yes [verily, truly], Lord [God, Master],” she replied, “even [indeed, truly] the dogs [little dogs, puppies] under [beneath] the table [dining table] eat [consume, devour] the children’s [young ones’] crumbs [small morsels, fragments of food].” word study 29 Then Jesus told her, “Because of [through, as a result of] this answer [saying, word], you may go [depart, leave]. The [evil] demon [unclean spirit] has left [gone out, departed from] your daughter [female child].” word study 30 And she went home [to her house, unto her house] and found her child [daughter, the girl] lying on the bed [upon the couch, a place for resting], and the demon [evil spirit, unclean being] was gone [had gone out, departed]. word study 31 Then Jesus left [departing from, going out of] the region [border, frontier area] of Tyre [a major port in ancient Phoenicia] and went through [passing by, traveling via] Sidon [an ancient city in Palestine] to the Sea [large body of water] of Galilee [a region in Palestine where Jesus ministered] and into [entering, coming into] the region [district, area] of the Decapolis [a region in Syria with ten cities, a district east of Galilee]. word study 32 Some people brought to Him a man who was [completely] deaf [and mute] and [having an impediment] hardly able to speak, and they begged [pleaded with] Jesus to place [lay] His hand [a symbol of power and healing] on him [the deaf man]. word study 33 So Jesus took him aside privately [away from the crowd, to be alone], away from the crowd [multitude, a large group of people], and put His fingers [with gentle care, into the man’s ears] into the man’s ears [the physical ears, and the ability to hear and understand]. Then He [with divine power] spit and touched [with intimate care, to attach or apply] the man’s tongue [the organ of speech, and the means of communication]. word study 34 And looking up [toward the heavenly realm] to heaven [the sky and God’s dwelling place], He [with deep compassion] sighed deeply [groaned, expressing overwhelming emotion] and said to him, “Ephphatha [be opened, a command to be freed]!” (which means [signifying, implying], “Be opened [to be made receptive, to have one’s senses restored]!”). word study 35 Immediately [at once, without delay] the man’s ears [his hearing, ability to perceive sound] were opened [to open up, revealed] and his tongue [the organ of speech, language] was released [loosed, set free], and he began to speak [to utter words, communicate] plainly [correctly, in a straightforward manner]. word study 36 Jesus ordered [gave strict commands, charged] them not to tell [share, proclaim] anyone [no man, nothing]. But the more [just as, how much] He ordered [commanded, gave orders] them, the more widely [excessively, abundantly] they proclaimed [preached, published] it [the news, the message]. word study 37 The people were utterly astonished [beyond measure, exceedingly] and said, “He has done [accomplished, completed] all things [everything, every matter] well [rightly, with moral excellence]! He makes [enables, causes to happen] even the deaf [those unable to hear] hear [to perceive sound, understand] and the mute [those unable to speak] speak [to utter words, communicate]!” word study