Mark 7

Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

The Pharisees and some scribes from Jerusalem gathered around him, their hearts filled with curiosity and skepticism.

And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

When they noticed some of his followers eating bread with unclean, or rather, unwashed hands, they were upset.

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

The Pharisees and all Jews strictly follow their elders' tradition, refusing to eat unless they frequently wash their hands.

And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

After returning from the marketplace, they won't eat until they've washed. They follow many such traditions, like cleaning their cups, pots, and bronze utensils, and even their dining tables.

Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

The Pharisees and scribes, puzzled, asked him, "Why do your followers ignore our age-old traditions and eat bread with dirty hands?"

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

He responded, "Just as Esaias predicted about you pretenders, you speak of me with respect, but your hearts are distant."

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Despite their worship, it's pointless if they only teach human rules as divine truths.

For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

You've ignored God's commands, choosing instead to follow human traditions, like cleaning dishes. You do many similar things.

And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

He told them, "You're so quick to dismiss God's rules just to uphold your own customs."

For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

Moses urged, respect your father and mother deeply; and anyone who curses their father or mother must be put to death.

But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

But you argue, if a person tells their parents, "What you might gain from me is a gift," they are absolved of responsibility.

And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

You no longer allow him to do anything for his parents, out of love or duty.

Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

You're letting your traditions overshadow God's word, making it seem meaningless. You've passed down these customs, and there are many more similar actions you do.

And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:

Gathering everyone around him, he pleaded, "Listen to me, each and every one of you, and truly comprehend my words."

There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

Nothing external can corrupt a person. It's what comes from within - our words and actions - that can truly taint us.

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

If anyone can truly listen, then they should.

And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

When he stepped inside, away from the crowd, his disciples, filled with curiosity, eagerly questioned him about the meaning of his parable.

And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

He asked them, "Do you still not understand? Don't you realize that nothing external can make a person unclean?"

Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

It doesn't touch his heart, but just fills his stomach, then leaves his body, cleansing all foods.

And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

He expressed, "It's not what enters, but what exits a person that corrupts them."

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

From deep within, the human heart gives birth to evil thoughts, adultery, sexual immorality, and murder,

Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

Stealing, greed, wickedness, lies, lust, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, and foolishness: these are all evil things that come from the heart and stain the soul.

All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

The darkness within us births all wickedness, staining our very essence.

And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.

Then he left that place and journeyed to the outskirts of Tyre and Sidon. He slipped into a house, hoping to go unnoticed. But his presence was too powerful to be concealed.

For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

A distressed mother, whose innocent child was tormented by an evil spirit, heard about him. Overwhelmed with hope, she rushed to him, collapsing at his feet in desperation.

The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

The woman, a Greek from Syrophenicia, pleaded with him, her heart heavy with desperation, to free her daughter from the torment of the demon.

But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

Jesus gently told her, "First, let's satisfy the children's hunger. It's not right to take their food and give it to the dogs."

And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.

She responded to him with a humble nod, "Yes, Master, even the dogs beneath the table get to enjoy the leftover crumbs from the children's meal."

And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

He said to her, 'Because of that answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.'

And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

Upon returning home, she discovered, to her relief, that the evil had departed. Her daughter, once tormented, now lay peacefully on the bed.

And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

Once more, leaving the shores of Tyre and Sidon, he journeyed to the Sea of Galilee, passing through the heart of Decapolis.

And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

They brought to him a man who couldn't hear or speak clearly, pleading with him to touch and heal the man.

And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

Gently, he led him away from the crowd. He placed his fingers in the man's ears, then spat and touched the man's tongue, a strange yet intimate gesture.

And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

Gazing towards the heavens, he let out a deep sigh, and gently said, "Ephphatha," meaning, "Open up."

And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

Immediately, his ears could hear clearly, his tongue was freed, and he began to speak without any hindrance.

And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

He urged them to keep it a secret, but the more he insisted, the more they spread the news.

And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

They were utterly amazed, exclaiming, "He's incredible! He's made the impossible possible - giving voice to the mute and hearing to the deaf."