Tradition and Vain Worship

(Matthew 15:1-9)

1Then came together to him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashed, hands, they found fault. 3For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4And 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, brazen vessels, and of tables. 5Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not your disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?

6He answered and said to them, Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7However, in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things you do.

9And he said to them, Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition. 10For Moses said, Honor your father and your mother; and, Whoever curses father or mother, let him die the death: 11But you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me; he shall be free. 12And you suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you.

What Defiles a Man

(Matthew 15:10-20)

14And when he had called all the people to him, he said to them, Listen to me every one of you, and understand: 15There 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. 16If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

17And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18And he said to them, Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive, that whatever thing from without enters into the man, it cannot defile him; 19Because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly, and goes out into the draught, purging all meats? 20And he said, That which comes out of the man, that defiles the man. 21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

The Faith of the Syrophoenician Woman

(Matthew 15:21-28)

24And from there 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. 25For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 26The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she sought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. 27But Jesus said to her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to the dogs. 28And she answered and said to him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. 29And he said to her, For this saying go your way; the devil is gone out of your daughter. 30And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid on the bed.

Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man

(Isaiah 35:1-10; Matthew 9:32-34)

31And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the sea of Galilee, through the middle of the coasts of Decapolis. 32And they bring to him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand on him. 33And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plain. 36And 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; 37And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He has done all things well: he makes both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.