Mark 7:15

Geneva Bible

There is nothing without a man, that can defile him, when it entreth into him: but the things which proceede out of him, are they which defile the man.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
There is nothing people can put in their mouth that will make them wrong. People are made wrong by what comes from inside them."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
There is no thinge with out a man that can defyle him when it entreth into him: but thoo thinges which procede out of him are those which defyle ye man.

International Standard Version
Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It is what comes out of a person that makes a person unclean.

New American Standard Bible
there is nothing outside the person which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which come out of the person are what defile the person."

New Century Version
There is nothing people put into their bodies that makes them unclean. People are made unclean by the things that come out of them. [

Update Bible Version
there is nothing from outside the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

Webster's Bible Translation
There 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.

Amplified Bible
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.

English Standard Version
There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him." And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, "Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." And he said to her, "For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter." And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

World English Bible
There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
There is nothing entering into a man from without, which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, these are they that defile the man.

Weymouth's New Testament
There is nothing outside a man which entering him can make him unclean; but it is the things which come out of a man that make him unclean."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
No thing that is withouten a man, that entrith in to hym, may defoule him; but tho thingis that comen forth of a man, tho it ben that defoulen a man.

English Revised Version
there is nothing from without the man, that going into him can defile him: but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

Berean Standard Bible
Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him."

Contemporary English Version
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."

American Standard Version
there is nothing from without the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man. And when he was entered into the house from the multitude, his disciples asked of him the parable. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from without goeth into the man, it cannot defile him; because it goeth not into his heart, but into his belly, and goeth out into the draught? This he said, making all meats clean. And he said, That which proceedeth out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness: all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man. And from thence he arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered into a house, and would have no man know it; and he could not be hid. But straightway a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. And she besought him that he would cast forth the demon out of her daughter. And he said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. But she answered and saith unto him, Yea, Lord; even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the demon is gone out of thy daughter. And she went away unto her house, and found the child laid upon the bed, and the demon gone out. And again he went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to lay his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. And 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. And they were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well; he maketh even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Bible in Basic English
There is nothing outside the man which, going into him, is able to make him unclean: but the things which come out of the man are those which make the man unclean.

Complete Jewish Bible
There is nothing outside a person which, by going into him, can make him unclean. Rather, it is the things that come out of a person which make a person unclean!"

Darby Translation
There is nothing from outside a man entering into him which can defile him; but the things which go out from him, those it is which defile the man.

Etheridge Translation
It is not that which is without the man, and which entereth into him, that can defile him: but that which proceedeth from him, that defileth a man.

Murdock Translation
There is nothing without a man which, by entering him, can pollute him. But that which cometh out of him, that it is that polluteth a man.

King James Version (1611)
There is nothing from without a man that entring into him, can defile him: but the things which come out of of him, those are they that defile the man.

New Living Translation
It's not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart."

New Life Bible
It is not what goes into a man's mouth from the outside that makes his mind and heart sinful. It is what comes out from the inside that makes him sinful.

New Revised Standard
there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile." When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. He said to them, "Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, "It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter." So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

George Lamsa Translation
There is nothing outside of a man, if it should enter into him, which can defile him; but what goes out of him, that defiles the man.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Nothing, is there, from without the man, entering into him, which can defile him; but, the things which, out of the man, come forth, are the things that defile the man.

Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Revised Standard Version
there is nothing outside a man which by going into him can defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
There is nothyng without a man, that can defyle hym, when it entreth into hym: But the thynges whiche proceade out of a man, those are they that defyle the man.

Good News Translation
There is nothing that goes into you from the outside which can make you ritually unclean. Rather, it is what comes out of you that makes you unclean."

Christian Standard Bible®
Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”

Hebrew Names Version
There is nothing from outside of the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.

King James Version
There 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.

Lexham English Bible
There is nothing outside of a person that is able to defile him by going into him. But the things that go out of a person are the things that defile a person." And when he entered into the house away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, "So are you also without understanding? Do you not understand that everything that is outside that goes into a person is not able to defile him? For it does not enter into his heart but into his stomach, and goes out into the latrine"—thus declaring all foods clean. And he said, "What comes out of a person, that defiles a person. For from within, from the heart of people, come evil plans, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, acts of greed, malicious deeds, deceit, licentiousness, envy, abusive speech, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person." And from there he set out and went to the region of Tyre. And when he entered into a house, he wanted no one to know, and yet he was not able to escape notice. But immediately a woman whose young daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, when she heard about him, came and fell down at his feet, Now the woman was a Greek—a Syrophoenician by nationality—and she was asking him that he would expel the demon from her daughter. And he said to her, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs!" But she answered and said to him, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." And he said to her, "Because of this statement, go! The demon has gone out of your daughter." And when she went to her home, she found the child lying on the bed and the demon gone. And again he went away from the region of Tyre and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had difficulty speaking, and they were imploring him that he would place his hand on him. And he took him away from the crowd by himself and put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting, he touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!"). And his ears were opened and his difficulty in speaking was removed and he began to speak normally. And he ordered them that they should say nothing, but as much as he ordered them not to, they proclaimed it even more instead. And they were amazed beyond all measure, saying, "He has done all things well! He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!"

Literal Translation
There is nothing from outside the man, having entered into him, which is able to defile him . But the things going out from him, those are the things defiling the man.

Young's Literal Translation
there is nothing from without the man entering into him that is able to defile him, but the things coming out from him, those are the things defiling the man.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
There is nothinge without a man, that can defyle him, whan it entreth in to him. But that goeth out of him, that is it that maketh the man vncleane.

Mace New Testament (1729)
there is nothing from without, that entring into a man can defile him: but that which originally proceeds from the man, is what defiles him.

New English Translation
There is nothing outside of a person that can defile him by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles him." Now when Jesus had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. He said to them, "Are you so foolish? Don't you understand that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him? For it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and then goes out into the sewer." (This means all foods are clean.) He said, "What comes out of a person defiles him. For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly. All these evils come from within and defile a person." After Jesus left there, he went to the region of Tyre. When he went into a house, he did not want anyone to know, but he was not able to escape notice. Instead, a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him and came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, of Syrophoenician origin. She asked him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and to throw it to the dogs." She answered, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he said to her, "Because you said this, you may go. The demon has left your daughter." She went home and found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. Then Jesus went out again from the region of Tyre and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had difficulty speaking, and they asked him to place his hands on him. After Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, he put his fingers in the man's ears, and after spitting, he touched his tongue. Then he looked up to heaven and said with a sigh, "Ephphatha" (that is, "Be opened"). And immediately the man's ears were opened, his tongue loosened, and he spoke plainly. Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But as much as he ordered them not to do this, they proclaimed it all the more. People were completely astounded and said, "He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

New King James Version
There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.

Simplified Cowboy Version
What goes in a person don't make him wrong. It's what comes out of him that does."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.

Legacy Standard Bible
there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.

Contextual Overview

¹ Then gathered vnto him the Pharises, and certaine of the Scribes which came from Hierusalem. ² And when they sawe some of his disciples eate meate with common hands, (that is to say, vnwashen) they complained. ³ (For the Pharises, and all the Iewes, except they wash their hands oft, eate not, holding the tradition of the Elders. ⁴ And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eate not: and many other things there be, which they haue taken vpon them to obserue, as the washing of cups, and pots, and of brasen vessels, and of beds.) ⁵ Then asked him the Pharises and Scribes, Why walke not thy disciples according to the tradition of the Elders, but eate meate with vnwashen hands? ⁶ Then hee answered and sayd vnto them, Surely Esay hath prophecied well of you, hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth mee with lippes, but their heart is farre away from me. ⁷ But they worship me in vaine, teaching for doctrines the commandements of men. ⁸ For ye lay the commaundement of God apart, and obserue the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and of cups, and many other such like things ye doe. ⁹ And he sayd vnto them, Well, ye reiect the commandement of God, that ye may obserue your owne tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses sayd, Honour thy father and thy mother: and Whosoeuer shall speake euill of father or mother, let him die the death.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

There: Though it is very true, says Dr. Doddridge, that a man may bring guilt upon himself by eating to excess, and a Jew, by eating what was forbidden by the Mosaic law; yet still the pollution would arise from the wickedness of the heart, and be just proportionable to it, which is all our Lord asserts.

nothing: Mark 7:18-20, Leviticus 11:42-47, Acts 10:14-16, Acts 10:28, Acts 11:8-10, Acts 15:20, Acts 15:21, Romans 14:17, 1 Corinthians 10:25, 1 Timothy 4:3-5, Titus 1:15, Hebrews 9:10, Hebrews 13:9

but: Mark 7:20-23, Proverbs 4:23, Matthew 12:34, Matthew 15:16

Reciprocal: Leviticus 11:2 - General Leviticus 11:8 - they are unclean Matthew 15:11 - that which goeth Mark 7:23 - defile James 3:6 - a world

Cross-References

Genesis 7:19
The waters preuailed so exceedingly vpon the earth, that all the high mountaines, that are vnder the whole heauen, were couered.

Genesis 7:20
Fifteene cubites vpwarde did the waters preuaile, when the mountaines were couered.

Isaiah 11:6
The wolfe also shall dwell with the lambe, and the leopard shall lie with the kid, & the calfe, and the lyon, and the fat beast together, and a litle childe shall leade them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

There is nothing from without a man,.... As any sort of food and drink, whether it be received, with, or without washing of the hands:

that entering into him can defile him; in a moral sense, or render him loathsome and unacceptable in the sight of God:

but the things which come out of him; the Arabic: version reads, "out of the mouth of man", as in Matthew 15:11, for the things are, all sinful words which proceed from the imaginations and lusts of the heart; as all idle, unchaste, blasphemous, and wrathful words and expressions: and may include evil thoughts, words, and actions; which actions first in thought, take their rise from the corrupt heart of man; and in word, come out of the mouth; and in action, are performed by some one or other of the members of the body: these are

they that defile the man: his mind and conscience, the faculties of his soul, and the members of his body; and render him abominable in the sight of God, and expose him to his wrath and displeasure;

Matthew 15:11- :. The sense of the whole is, that not what a man eats and drinks, and in whatsoever way he does either, though he may eat and drink with unwashen hands, or out of cups, pots, and platters, not properly washed, according to the traditions of the elders, renders him a polluted sinful man, in the sight of God; or such as one, whose company and conversation are to be, avoided by good men; but that it is sin in the heart, and what proceeds from it; as all evil thoughts, wicked words, and impure actions; which denominate a man filthy and unclean, and expose him to the abhorrence of God, and of his people: the words may be rendered, "there is nothing from without a man, can make him common"; that is, as a plebeian, a vulgar common man, a sinful wicked man, as the common people were, or at least were so esteemed by the Pharisees; nothing that he took into his body, by eating or drinking, could put him into the class of such persons: "but the things which come out of him"; out of his heart, by his lips: "those are they that make a man common"; or a vulgar wicked man. The Ethiopic version renders it, "it is not what enters from without into the mouth of man, which can defile him; but only what goes out of the heart man, this defiles the man": the Persic version adds, "and is the sin of death"; or sin unto death, a deadly, mortal sin.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 15:1-20.

Mark 7:1

Came from Jerusalem - Probably to observe his conduct, and to find matter of accusation against him.

Mark 7:2

Defiled hands - The hands were considered defiled or polluted unless they were washed previous to every meal.

Mark 7:3

Except they wash their hands oft - Our word “oft” means frequently, often. The Greek wore translated oft has been rendered various ways. Some have said that it means “up to the wrist” - unless they wash their hands up to the wrist. Others have said up to the elbow.” There is evidence that the Pharisees had some such foolish rule as this about washing, and it is likely that they practiced it faithfully. But the Greek Word πυγμή pugmē - means properly the “fist,” and the meaning here is, “Unless they wash their hands (rubbing them) with the fist” - that is, not merely dipping the finger or hands in water as a sign of ablution, but rubbing the hands together as a ball or fist, in the usual Oriental manner when water is poured over them. Hence, the phrase comes to mean “diligently, carefully, sedulously.” - Robinson, Lexicon. The idea is, unless they pay the utmost attention to it, and do it carefully and according to rule.

The tradition - What had been handed down; not what was delivered “by writing” in the law of Moses, but what had been communicated from father to son as being proper and binding.

The elders - The ancients; not the old men “then living,” but those who had lived formerly.

Mark 7:4

Market - This word means either the place where provisions were sold, or the place where men were convened for any purpose. Here it probably means the former.

Except they wash - In the original, “Except they baptize.” In this place it does not mean to immerse the whole body, but only the hands. There is no evidence that the Jews washed their “whole bodies” every time they came from market. It is probable that they often washed with the use of a very small quantity of water.

The washing of cups - In the Greek, “the baptism of cups.”

Cups - drinking vessels. Those used at their meals.

Pots - Measures of “liquids.” Vessels made of wood, used to hold wine, vinegar, etc.

brazen vessels - Vessels made of brass, used in cooking or otherwise. These, if much polluted, were commonly passed through the fire: if slightly polluted they were washed. Earthen vessels, if defiled, were usually broken.

Tables - This word means, in the original, “beds or couches.” It refers not to the “tables” on which they ate, but to the “couches” on which they reclined at their meals. See the notes at Matthew 23:6. These were supposed to be defiled when any unclean or polluted person had reclined on them, and they deemed it necessary to purify them with water. The word “baptism” is here used - in the original, “the baptism of tables;” but, since it cannot be supposed that “couches” were entirely “immersed” in water, the word “baptism” here must denote some other application of water, by sprinkling or otherwise, and shows that the term is used in the sense of washing in any way. If the word is used here, as is clear it is, to denote anything except entire immersion, it may be elsewhere, and baptism is lawfully performed, therefore, without immersing the whole body in water.

Mark 7:7

For doctrines - For commands of God binding on the conscience. Imposing “your” traditions as equal in authority to the laws of God.

Mark 7:8

Laying aside - Rejecting, or making, it give place to traditions; considering the traditions as superior in authority to the divine law. This was the uniform doctrine of the Pharisees. See the notes at Matthew 15:1-9.

The tradition of men - What has been handed down by human beings, or what rests solely on their authority.

Mark 7:9

Full well - These words are capable of different interpretations. Some read them as a question: “Do ye do well in rejecting?” etc. Others suppose they mean “skillfully, cunningly.” “You show great cunning or art, in laying aside God’s commands and substituting in their place those of men.” Others suppose them to be ironical. “How nobly you act! From conscientious attachment to your traditions you have made void the law of God;” meaning to intimate by it that they had acted wickedly and basely.

Mark 7:17

The parable - The “obscure” and difficult remarks which he had made in Mark 7:15. The word “parable,” here, means “obscure” and “difficult saying.” They could not understand it. They had probably imbibed many of the popular notions of the Pharisees, and they could not understand why a man was not defiled by external things. It was, moreover, a doctrine of the law that men were ceremonially polluted by contact with dead bodies, etc., and they could not understand how it could be otherwise.

Mark 7:18

Cannot defile him - Cannot render his “soul” polluted; cannot make him a “sinner” so as to need this purifying as a “religious” observance.

Mark 7:19

Entereth not into his heart - Does not reach or affect the “mind,” the “soul,” and consequently cannot pollute it. Even if it should affect the “body,” yet it cannot the “soul,” and consequently cannot need to be cleansed by a religious ordinance. The notions of the Pharisees, therefore, are not founded in reason, but are mere “superstition.”

The draught - The sink, the vault. “Purging all meats.” The word “purging,” here, means to purify, to cleanse. What is thrown out of the body is the innutritious part of the food taken into the stomach, and leaving only that which is proper for the support of life; and it cannot, therefore, defile the soul.

All meals - All food; all that is taken into the body to support life. The meaning is, that the economy or process by which life is supported “purifies” or “renders nutritious” all kinds of food. The unwholesome or innutritious parts are separated, and the wholesome only are taken into the system. This agrees with all that has since been discovered of the process of digestion and of the support of life. The food taken into the stomach is by the gastric juice converted into a thick pulp called chyme. The nutritious part of this is conveyed into small vessels, and changed into a milky substance called “chyle.” This is poured by the thoracic duct into the left subclavian vein and mingles with the blood, and conveys nutriment and support to all parts of the system. The useless parts of the food are thrown off.

Mark 7:20

Hat which cometh out of the man - His words; the expression of his thoughts and feelings; his conduct, as the development of inward malice, anger, covetousness, lust, etc.

Defileth the man - Makes him really polluted or offensive in the sight of God. This renders the soul corrupt and abominable in his sight. See Matthew 15:18-20.