Chapter 7

  And there assembled together unto him the Pharisees and some of the scribes, coming from Jerusalem.  

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  And when they had seen some of his disciples eat bread with common, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.  

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  For the Pharisees, and all the Jews eat not without often washing their hands, holding the tradition of the ancients:  

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  And when they come from the market, unless they be washed, they eat not: and many other things there are that have been delivered to them to observe, the washings of cups and of pots, and of brazen vessels, and of beds.  

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  And the Pharisees and scribes asked him: Why do not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the ancients, but they eat bread with common hands?  

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  But he answering, said to them: Well did Isaias prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  

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  And in vain to they worship me, teaching doctrines and precepts of men.  

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  For leaving the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and of cups: and many other things you do like to these.  

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  And he said to them: Well do you make void the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition.  

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  For Moses said: Honor thy father and thy mother; and He that shall curse father or mother, dying let him die.  

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  But you say: If a man shall say to his father or mother, Corban, (which is a gift,) whatsoever is from me, shall profit thee.  

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  And further you suffer him not to do any thing for his father or mother,  

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  Making void the word of God by your own tradition, which you have given forth. And many other such like things you do.  

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  And calling again the multitude unto him, he said to them: Hear ye me all, and understand.  

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  There is nothing from without a man that entering into him, can defile him. But the things which come from a man, those are they that defile a man.  

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  If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.  

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  And when he was come into the house from the multitude, his disciples asked him the parable.  

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  And he saith to them: So are you also without knowledge? understand you not that every thing from without, entering into a man cannot defile him:  

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  Because it entereth not into his heart, but goeth into the belly, and goeth out into the privy, purging all meats?  

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  But he said that the things which come out from a man, they defile a man.  

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  For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  

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  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  

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  All these evil things come from within, and defile a man.  

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  And rising from thence he went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon: and entering into a house, he would that no man should know it, and he could not be hid.  

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  For a woman as soon as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, came in and fell down at his feet.  

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  For the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophenician born. And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.  

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  Who said to her: Suffer first the children to be filled: for it is not good to take the bread of the children, and cast it to the dogs.  

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  But she answered and said to him: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children.  

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  And he said to her: For this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter.  

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  And when she was come into her house, she found the girl lying upon the bed, and that the devil was gone out.  

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  And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.  

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  And they bring to him one deaf and dumb; and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him.  

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  And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue:  

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  And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened.  

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  And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right.  

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  And he charged them that they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it.  

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  And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.  

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