The Scripture for Sunday - Clean and Unclean (Mark 7:14-23)

During the months of September, October and November, we'll discuss the following parables found in the Gospel of Mark:

• September 22 - Shrunk and Old (Mark 2:21-22)
• September 29 - A Strong Man (Mark 3:23-27)
• October 6 - The Sower (Mark 4:1-20)
• October 13 - Lamps and Baskets (Mark 4:21-25)
• October 20 - A Growing Seed (Mark 4:26-29)
• October 27 - The Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-32)
• November 3 - Clean and Unclean (Mark 7:14-23)
• November 10 - The Wicked Tenants (Mark 12:1-11)
• November 17 - The Fig Tree (Mark 13:28-31)

During the service on Sunday, November 3, we'll use Mark 7:14-23 to better understand the nature and source of evil. Below is the passage in three different translations. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).  You can hear a podcast of the service at the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel or the Sligo Presbyterian Spotify Page. 

Mark 7:14-23 [Contemporary English Version]

What Really Makes People Unclean

(Matthew 15.10-20)

14 Jesus called the crowd together again and said, “Pay attention and try to understand what I mean. 15-16 The food that you put into your mouth doesn't make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean.”[a]

17 After Jesus and his disciples had left the crowd and gone into the house, they asked him what these sayings meant. 18 He answered, “Don't you know what I am talking about by now? You surely know that the food you put into your mouth cannot make you unclean. 19 It doesn't go into your heart, but into your stomach, and then out of your body.” By saying this, Jesus meant that all foods were fit to eat.

20 Then Jesus said:

What comes from your heart is what makes you unclean. 21 Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, 22 unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. 23 All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God.

Footnotes

[a] 7.15,16 unclean: Some manuscripts add, “If you have ears, pay attention.”

Mark 7:14-23 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

14 Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.”[a]

17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18 He said to them, “So, are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19 since it enters not the heart but the stomach and goes out into the sewer?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20 And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. 21 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Footnotes

[a] 7.15 Other ancient authorities add 7.16: “If you have ears to hear, then hear”

Mark 7:14-23 [Amplified Bible]

The Heart of Man

14 After He called the people to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen [carefully] to Me, all of you, [hear] and understand [what I am saying]: 15 there is nothing outside a man [such as food] which by going into him can defile him [morally or spiritually]; but the things which come out of [the heart of] a man are what defile and dishonor him. 16 [a][If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”]

17 When Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the [b]house, His disciples asked Him about the parable. 18 And He said to them, “Are you, too, so foolish and lacking in understanding? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile and dishonor him, 19 since it does not enter his heart, but [only] his stomach, and [from there it] is eliminated?” (By this, He declared all foods [c]ceremonially clean.) 20 And He said, “Whatever comes from [the heart of] a man, that is what defiles and dishonors him. 21 For from within, [that is] out the heart of men, come base and malevolent thoughts and schemes, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 acts of greed and covetousness, wickedness, deceit, unrestrained conduct, envy and jealousy, slander and profanity, arrogance and self-righteousness and foolishness (poor judgment). 23 All these evil things [schemes and desires] come from within and defile and dishonor the man.”

Footnotes

[a] Mark 7:16 Early mss do not contain this verse.

[b] Mark 7:17 It was probably Peter’s house.

[c] Mark 7:19 I.e. He abolished all prohibitions given in the Law against certain foods.