Mark 7:1-23

Traditions and Commandments

1 p Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes q who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were r defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash 1 their hands, holding to s the tradition of t the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. 2 And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as u the washing of v cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches. 3 ) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to s the tradition of t the elders, w but eat with r defiled hands?"

6 And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you x hypocrites, as it is written,
y "'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
 7 in vain do they worship me,
teaching as z doctrines the commandments of men.'

8 You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."

9 And he said to them, "You have a fine way of a rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! 10 For Moses said, b 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, c 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' 11 But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, "Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban"' (that is, given to God) 4 - 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus d making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do."

What Defiles a Person

14 And he called the people to him again and said to them, e "Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15 f There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him." 5 17 And when he had entered g the house and left the people, h his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, "Then i are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart j but his stomach, and is expelled?" 6 ( k Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, l "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, m murder, adultery, 22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, n sensuality, o envy, p slander, q pride, r foolishness. 23 s All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

  1. Cross References
    Mark 7:1 - 30
    Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem.
    Matthew 15:1 - 28
    Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said.
  2. Cross References
    Mark 3:22
    And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.
  3. Cross References
    Mark 7:1 - 30
    Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem.
    Matthew 15:1 - 28
    Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said.
  4. Cross References
    Acts 10:14
    But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.
    Romans 14:14
    I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.
  5. Cross References
    Galatians 1:14
    And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
    Colossians 2:8
    See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
  6. Cross References
    Hebrews 11:2
    For by it the people of old received their commendation.
  7. Cross References
    Hebrews 9:10
    But deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
    John 2:6
    Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
  8. Cross References
    Matthew 23:25
    Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
    Luke 11:39
    And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
  9. Cross References
    Mark 7:3
    (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders.
  10. Cross References
    Mark 7:3
    (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders.
  11. Cross References
    Luke 11:38
    The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner.
  12. Cross References
    Mark 7:2
    They saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.
  13. Cross References
    Matthew 23:13
    But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
  14. Cross References
    Isaiah 29:13
    And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.
    Ezekiel 33:31
    And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.
  15. Cross References
    Isaiah 29:13
    And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.
  16. Cross References
    Colossians 2:22
    ( referring to things that all perish as they are used) - according to human precepts and teachings?
    Titus 1:14
    Not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.
  17. Cross References
    Luke 7:30
    But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)
    Galatians 2:21
    I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
    Hebrews 10:28
    Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
  18. Cross References
    Exodus 20:12
    Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
  19. Cross References
    Exodus 21:17
    Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 20:12
    Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
  21. Cross References
    Exodus 21:17
    Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
  22. Cross References
    Galatians 3:17
    This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.
    Romans 2:23
    You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.
  23. Cross References
    Matthew 13:51
    "Have you understood all these things?" They said to him, "Yes."
  24. Cross References
    Acts 10:14 - 15
    But Peter said, "By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.
  25. Cross References
    Mark 9:28
    And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?
  26. Cross References
    Matthew 13:36
    Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.
    Matthew 15:15
    But Peter said to him, "Explain the parable to us.
  27. Cross References
    Mark 8:17 - 18
    And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?
  28. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 6:13
    Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" - and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
  29. Cross References
    Luke 11:41
    But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.
    Acts 10:15
    And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common.
    Acts 11:9
    But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has made clean, do not call common.
  30. Cross References
    Matthew 12:34
    You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
    James 3:6
    And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
  31. Cross References
    Matthew 5:22
    But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.
    Matthew 5:28
    But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
    Exodus 20:13 - 14
    You shall not murder.
    Exodus 20:17
    "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
  32. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 12:21
    I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.
    Galatians 5:19
    Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality.
    Ephesians 4:19
    They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
    2 Peter 2:7
    And if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked
    Jude 1:4
    For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
  33. Cross References
    Matthew 6:23
    But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
  34. Cross References
    Ephesians 4:31
    Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
    Colossians 3:8
    But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
    1 Timothy 6:4
    He is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions.
  35. Cross References
    Luke 1:51
    He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
  36. Cross References
    Ephesians 5:17
    Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
  37. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 6:9 - 10
    Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.