The clean and the unclean1Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came from Jerusalem and said to Jesus:2"Why do You allow Your disciples to break the traditions of the elders? For example, they do not perform the ritual of washing their hands before a meal."3Jesus replied: "Why do you break God's commands in order to keep your traditions?4God said, 'Honour your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother should be put to death.'5-6But you say that if a man tells his father or mother, 'What you could have received from me to help you has been given to God instead,' he is not to honour his father with that gift. So you disregard God's Word for the sake of your traditions.7-8What hypocrites you are! Isaiah was justified in prophesying about you, 'These people honour Me by what they say, but their hearts are far from Me.9Their worship of Me is empty and their teaching is only rules that they have devised themselves.'"10Then Jesus gathered the crowd around Him and said: "Listen to Me and understand what I say.11Nothing that enters a man's mouth can make him unclean. It is what comes out of his mouth, from his heart, which defiles him."12Later the disciples asked Jesus: "Are You aware that the Pharisees were greatly offended by what You said?"13To this Jesus replied: "Whatever is not planted by My heavenly Father will be uprooted.14Take no notice of these men; they are guides who are blind themselves. And if someone who is blind leads another who is blind, both will fall into a ditch."15Peter said: "Explain clearly what You mean."16"Do you still not understand?" Jesus asked them.17"Can you not see that whatever enters a man's mouth goes into his stomach before passing out of his body?18But whatever comes out of the mouth originated in his heart and such utterances make a man unclean.19For evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony and slander all originate in the heart.20Such things prove a man is unclean. But acting without ritually washing your hands does not make you guilty of such things."Canaanite girl set free21Jesus then left that place and journeyed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.22A local woman, who was a Canaanite, came to Him in distress: "Lord, Son of David, please have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffers terribly."23At first Jesus did not answer her. His disciples urged Him: "Send her away, for she keeps on and on and won't leave us alone."24Jesus answered them: "My mission is to the lost sheep of Israel. That is why I was sent."25The woman came, knelt before Him and pleaded: "Lord, please, please help me!"26"It is not right to take the bread intended for the children and throw it to the dogs instead," Jesus replied.27"True, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs are allowed to eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table."28"Woman, your faith is great," Jesus answered. "What you ask for is done." And her daughter was set free at that very moment.Many healed by Jesus29When Jesus left that area He returned to the Sea of Galilee. He climbed the side of a mountain and sat down.30Great crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind and the crippled, the dumb and many others in distress, who they laid at His feet. And He healed them.31The people were awestruck when they witnessed those who had been dumb now able to speak, the crippled completely restored and those formerly blind able to see clearly. So they praised the God of Israel.Jesus feeds four thousand32Jesus gathered the disciples around Him and said: "I feel such compassion for these people. They have already been here with Me for three days with nothing to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry in case they collapse on their way home."33But His disciples responded: "Where in such a remote place can we buy enough bread to feed so many people?"34"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked them. "Seven, and a few small fish," they replied.35Jesus then told the crowd to sit on the ground.36Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He first gave thanks for them, and then broke them in pieces, giving them to the disciples to distribute among the people.37They all ate as much as they wanted, and the disciples filled seven baskets with the remaining pieces.38Four thousand men plus the women and children had eaten.39Then Jesus sent them all home before going by boat to the area near Magadan.
Scripture quoted by permission. The passage above is taken from THE TRUTH VERSION. Copyright © 2009 by Colin Urquhart. All rights reserved worldwide. (The Truth New Testament)