1The7:1–23 Mt 15:1–20 Pharisees7:1 Mk 7:3 and some of the scribes7:1 Mt 2:4 who had come from Jerusalem7:1 Mt 23:37 gathered around him.

2They observed that some of his disciples were eating bread with unclean7:2 Ac 10:28 — that is, unwashed — hands.

3(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, keeping the tradition of the elders.

4When they come from the marketplace,7:4 Mk 6:56 they do not eat unless they have washed.7:4 Heb 6:2; 9:10 And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches.7:4 Other mss omit and dining couches7:4 Lk 5:18)

5So the Pharisees7:5 Mk 7:3 and the scribes7:5 Mt 2:4 asked him, “Why don’t your disciples live7:5 Lit walk according to the tradition of the elders,7:5 3Jn 1 instead of eating bread with ceremonially unclean7:5 Other mss read with unwashed hands?”

8 Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.” 7:8 Other mss add The washing of jugs, and cups, and many other similar things you practice.

9He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up7:9 Or to maintain your tradition!

10For Moses7:10 Ps 77:20; Mt 8:4; Heb 3:2 said: Honor your father and your mother; 7:10Ex 20:12; Dt 5:167:10 Ex 20:12; Dt 5:16 and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.7:10 Ex 21:17; Lv 20:97:10 Ex 21:17; Lv 20:9

11But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit7:11 Mk 5:26 you might have received from me is corban’” (that is, an offering7:11 Heb 5:1; 9:9; 11:4 devoted to God),

12“you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.

13You nullify the word of God7:13 Mk 4:14; Lk 8:21; Jn 18:32 by your tradition that you have handed7:13 Jd 3 down. And you do many other similar things.”

24He got up and departed from7:24–30 Mt 15:21–28 there to the region of Tyre.7:24 Many early mss add and Sidon7:24 Ac 21:7 He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it, but he could not escape notice.

25Instead, immediately after hearing about him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit7:25 Lk 11:24 came and fell at his feet.7:25 Lk 8:47

26The woman was a Gentile,7:26 Or a Greek (speaker)7:26 Ac 17:12 a Syrophoenician by birth, and she was asking him to cast the demon7:26 Mk 3:15; Rv 9:20; 18:2 out of her daughter.

27He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, because it isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”7:27 Ex 22:31

31Again, leaving the region of Tyre,7:31 Ac 21:7 he went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,7:31 Mt 4:18; 15:29; Mk 1:16; Jn 6:1 through7:31 Or into the region of the Decapolis.7:31 Mt 4:25; Mk 5:20

32They brought to him a deaf7:32 Lk 7:22 man who had difficulty speaking7:32 Ex 4:11; Is 35:6; 56:10 and begged Jesus to lay his hand on7:32 1Tm 5:22 him.

33So he took him away from the crowd in private. After putting his fingers in the man’s ears and spitting,7:33 Jn 9:6 he touched his tongue.

34Looking up to heaven,7:34 Mt 24:35; Lk 12:33; Ac 17:24; Eph 6:9; Rv 21:10 he sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” 7:34 An Aramaic expression (that is, “Be opened!”).

35Immediately his ears were opened,7:35 Phm 10 his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly.7:35 Lk 20:21

36He ordered them to tell no one,7:36 Mk 1:44; Lk 8:56 but the more he ordered them, the more they proclaimed it.7:36 Mk 1:4