1 The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him. 2 They saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled hands, that is, unwashed hands. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands thoroughly, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. There are many other things they have received and hold to, such as washings of cups, jugs, copper vessels, and dining couches. 5 The Pharisees and scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with defiled hands?”

6 He said to them, “Isaiah rightly prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written,

8 You leave God’s commandment and hold to human tradition.”

9 He said to them, “How well you reject God’s commandment to keep your tradition! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if a man tells his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might have received from me is Corban’ (that is, an offering), 12 you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 nullifying the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do many similar things.”

14 He called the crowd to him again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand. 15 Nothing outside a person that enters him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” 16 [“If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”]

17 When he left the crowd and entered a house, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 He said to them, “Are you too so lacking in understanding? Do you not realize that nothing entering a person from outside can defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and goes out into the latrine?” In this way he declared all foods clean. 20 He said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21 For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, 22 adulteries, acts of greed and wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”

24 He rose and went away from there to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know, but he could not remain hidden. 25 Immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him, came, and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was Greek, Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 28 She answered him, “Lord, even the little dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 He said to her, “Because of this answer, go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 She went home and found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone.

31 Leaving the region of Tyre again, he went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of the Decapolis. 32 They brought him a deaf man who had difficulty speaking and begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside from the crowd privately, put his fingers into his ears, spat, and touched his tongue. 34 Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened.” 35 His ears were opened, the bond of his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 He ordered them to tell no one, but the more he ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 They were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak.”