Mark — Chapter 7

📖 Mark — Chapter 7 (KJV)

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Red lettering identifies words spoken by Jesus; it is an editorial reading aid. Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.

Mark 7:1 Then came together unto him ^Rthe Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

Mark 7:2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with ^Rdefiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

Mark 7:3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding ^Rthe tradition of the elders.

Mark 7:4 And when they come from the market, ^Rexcept 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.

Mark 7:5 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?

Mark 7:6 He answered and said unto them, ^RWell hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Mark 7:7 Howbeit ^Rin vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Mark 7:8 For ^Rlaying 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.

Mark 7:9 And he said unto them, ^RFull well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Mark 7:10 For Moses said, ^RHonour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

Mark 7:11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, ^RIt is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

Mark 7:12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

Mark 7:13 Making ^Rthe word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Mark 7:14 And ^Rwhen he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:

Mark 7:15 There is ^Rnothing 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.

Mark 7:16 ^RIf any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

Mark 7:17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

Mark 7:18 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;

Mark 7:19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?

Mark 7:20 ^RAnd he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

Mark 7:21 For from within, ^Rout of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Mark 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, ^Ran evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

Mark 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and ^Rdefile the man.

Mark 7:24 And ^Rfrom 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.

Mark 7:25 For a certain woman, ^Rwhose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:

Mark 7:26 The woman was a ^RGreek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

Mark 7:27 But Jesus said unto her, ^RLet the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

Mark 7:28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: ^Ryet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.

Mark 7:29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

Mark 7:30 And when ^Rshe was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

Mark 7:31 And again, departing ^Rfrom the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

Mark 7:32 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.

Mark 7:33 And ^Rhe took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

Mark 7:34 And ^Rlooking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

Mark 7:35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

Mark 7:36 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;

Mark 7:37 And ^Rwere beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

📚 Study This Chapter

📖 What We’re Reading

Mark 7:1–13 — Human tradition must not overturn God’s command

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

A question about washing leads Jesus to cite Isaiah’s warning concerning distant hearts. The example of Corban exposes a practice that avoids care for parents while claiming religious devotion.

Key Truth: Test religious custom by its faithfulness to God’s command.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

Mark 7:14–23 — Moral defilement proceeds from within

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Jesus calls people to hear and later explains to the disciples that evil thoughts and actions arise from the heart. External food and bodily processes are distinguished from this inward moral problem.

Key Truth: Pursue an honest heart rather than reliance on outward appearances.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

Mark 7:24–37 — Mercy reaches a Gentile household and a deaf man

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

A Syrophenician woman persists in asking help for her daughter, and Jesus delivers the child. He then heals a deaf man with a speech impediment, prompting astonishment at his good works.

Key Truth: Treat suffering people with compassionate attention rather than dismissal.

Check What You Remember

Related Scripture (KJV)

Isaiah 29:13 — Jesus cites Isaiah’s warning about lip-service and a heart far from God.

Isaiah 29:13 (KJV) Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.

Reflect and Apply

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