Tradition and Vain Worship

(Mark 7:1-13)

1Then come unto Jesus do they from Jerusalem — scribes and Pharisees — saying, 2‘Wherefore do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they may eat bread.’ 3And he answering said to them, ‘Wherefore also do ye transgress the command of God because of your tradition? 4for God did command, saying, Honour thy father and mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother — let him die the death; 5but ye say, Whoever may say to father or mother, An offering [is] whatever thou mayest be profited by me; — 6and he may not honour his father or his mother, and ye did set aside the command of God because of your tradition. 7‘Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

8This people doth draw nigh to Me with their mouth, and with the lips it doth honour Me, but their heart is far off from Me;

9and in vain do they worship Me, teaching teachings — commands of men.’

What Defiles a Man

(Mark 7:14-23)

10And having called near the multitude, he said to them, ‘Hear and understand: 11not that which is coming into the mouth doth defile the man, but that which is coming forth from the mouth, this defileth the man.’

12Then his disciples having come near, said to him, ‘Hast thou known that the Pharisees, having heard the word, were stumbled?’ 13And he answering said, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up; 14let them alone, guides they are — blind of blind; and if blind may guide blind, both into a ditch shall fall.’

15And Peter answering said to him, ‘Explain to us this simile.’ 16And Jesus said, ‘Are ye also yet without understanding? 17do ye not understand that all that is going into the mouth doth pass into the belly, and into the drain is cast forth? 18but the things coming forth from the mouth from the heart do come forth, and these defile the man; 19for out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, whoredoms, thefts, false witnessings, evil speakings: 20these are the things defiling the man; but to eat with unwashen hands doth not defile the man.’

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

(Mark 7:24-30)

21And Jesus having come forth thence, withdrew to the parts of Tyre and Sidon, 22and lo, a woman, a Canaanitess, from those borders having come forth, did call to him, saying, ‘Deal kindly with me, Sir — Son of David; my daughter is miserably demonized.’ 23And he did not answer her a word; and his disciples having come to him, were asking him, saying — ‘Let her away, because she crieth after us;’ 24and he answering said, ‘I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ 25And having come, she was bowing to him, saying, ‘Sir, help me;’ 26and he answering said, ‘It is not good to take the children’s bread, and to cast to the little dogs.’ 27And she said, ‘Yes, sir, for even the little dogs do eat of the crumbs that are falling from their lords’ table;’ 28then answering, Jesus said to her, ‘O woman, great [is] thy faith, let it be to thee as thou wilt;’ and her daughter was healed from that hour.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

(Mark 8:1-10)

29And Jesus having passed thence, came nigh unto the sea of Galilee, and having gone up to the mountain, he was sitting there, 30and there came to him great multitudes, having with them lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and they did cast them at the feet of Jesus, and he healed them, 31so that the multitudes did wonder, seeing dumb ones speaking, maimed whole, lame walking, and blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

32And Jesus having called near his disciples, said, ‘I have compassion upon the multitude, because now three days they continue with me, and they have not what they may eat; and to let them away fasting I will not, lest they faint in the way.’ 33And his disciples say to him, ‘Whence to us, in a wilderness, so many loaves, as to fill so great a multitude?’ 34And Jesus saith to them, ‘How many loaves have ye?’ and they said, ‘Seven, and a few little fishes.’ 35And he commanded the multitudes to sit down upon the ground, 36and having taken the seven loaves and the fishes, having given thanks, he did break, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37And they did all eat, and were filled, and they took up what was over of the broken pieces seven baskets full, 38and those eating were four thousand men, apart from women and children.

39And having let away the multitudes, he went into the boat, and did come to the borders of Magdala.