The Tradition of the Elders
(Matthew 15:1–9)

1And the Pharisees are gathered together to him, and certain of the scribes, having come from Jerusalem, 2And having seen some of his disciples with common hands, that is, unwashed, eating loaves, they rebuked. 3(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they vigorously wash hands, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4And from the market-place, except they be immersed, they eat not. And there are many other things which they received to hold; the immersion of cups, and of measures, and of brazen vases, and of chairs.) 5Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Wherefore do not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?

6And he having answered, said to them, That Esaias prophesied well concerning you, as it has been written, This people honour me with lips, and their heart keeps far from me.

7And in vain they revere me, teaching doctrines the commands of men.

8For having left the command of God, ye hold firmly to the tradition of men, the immersion of measures and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

9And he said to them, Well do ye abrogate the command of God, that ye might keep your tradition. 10For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and he reviling father or mother, in death let him die: 11And ye say, If a man say to father or mother, Corban, which is, a gift, whatever thou be profited by me; 12And ye permit him to do nothing more for his father or his mother. 13Abrogating the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.

What Defiles a Man
(Matthew 15:10–20)

14And having called all the crowd, he said to them, Hear me, all ye, and do ye understand: 15There is nothing from without a man, entering into him, which can defile him: but things coming out from him, these are the things polluting the man. 16If any have ears to hear, let him hear.

17And when he came into the house from the crowd, his disciples asked him of the parable. 18And he says, So are ye also without understanding? Do ye not perceive, that anything from without entering into a man, cannot pollute him. 19For it goes not into the heart, but into the belly, and goes forth into the privy, purging all food. 20And he said, That going out of a man, that pollutes a man. 21For within, out of the heart of men, go forth evil reflections, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22Thefts, overreaching, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, defamation, pride, foolishness: 23All these evils go out from within, and pollute a man.

The Faith of the Gentile Woman
(Matthew 15:21–28)

24And arising from thence, he departed into the bounds of Tyre and Sidon, and having come into the house, he would have none know; and he could not be hid. 25For a woman having heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, having come, fell at his feet: 26And the woman was a Grecian, a Syrophenician by birth; and she entreated him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter. 27And Jesus said to her, Permit the children first to be satisfied; for it is not good to take the children's bread, and cast to little dogs. 28And she answered and says to him, Yes, Lord: for also the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs. 29And he said to her, For this word retire; the demon has gone out of thy daughter. 30And having departed to her house, she found the demon gone forth, and the daughter cast upon the bed.

The Deaf and Mute Man
(Matthew 9:27–34)

31And again, having gone out from the bounds of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the sea of Galilee, in the midst of the bounds of Decapolis. 32And they bring to him a deaf one, tongue-tied; and they beseech him that he would put the hand upon him. 33And having taken him away from the crowd apart, he put his fingers in his ears, and having spit, he touched his tongue; 34And having looked up to heaven, he sighed, and says to him, Ephphatha, which is, Be opened. 35And quickly his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake rightly. 36And he charged them that they should say to none: and as much as he charged them, they proclaimed more abundantly; 37And above measure were they struck with amazement, saying, Well has he done all things: he makes the deaf to hear, and the speechless to speak.