Tradition and Vain Worship

(Mark 7:1-13)

1Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3But he answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother: and, He that curses father or mother, let him die the death. 5But you say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me; 6And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7You hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

What Defiles a Man

(Mark 7:14-23)

10And he called the multitude, and said to them, Hear, and understand: 11Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.

12Then came his disciples, and said to him, Know you that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. 14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

15Then answered Peter and said to him, Declare to us this parable. 16And Jesus said, Are you also yet without understanding? 17Do not you yet understand, that whatever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defiles not a man.

The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

(Mark 7:24-30)

21Then Jesus went there, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried to him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, you son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and sought him, saying, Send her away; for she cries after us. 24But he answered and said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28Then Jesus answered and said to her, O woman, great is your faith: be it to you even as you will. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

(Mark 8:1-10)

29And Jesus departed from there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30And great multitudes came to him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them: 31So that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

32Then Jesus called his disciples to him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33And his disciples say to him, From where should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34And Jesus said to them, How many loaves have you? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

39And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.