1Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem. They said,

2“Why do your disciples violate the traditions of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.”

3He answered and said to them, “Then why do you violate the commandment of God for the sake of your traditions?

4For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'He who speaks evil of his father or mother, will surely die.'

5But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother “Whatever help you would have received from me is now a gift given to God,”'

6that person does not need to honor his father. In this way you have made void the word of God ²for the sake of your traditions.

7You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said,

8'This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me.

9They worship me in vain,
because they teach as their doctrines the commandments of people.'”

10Then he called the crowd to himself and said to them, “Listen and understand—

11Nothing that enters into the mouth defiles a person. Instead, what comes out of the mouth, this is what defiles a person.”

12Then the disciples came and said to Jesus, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?”

13Jesus answered and said, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.

14Let them alone, they are blind guides. If a blind person guides another blind person, both will fall into a pit.”

15Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Explain this parable to us.”

16Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding?

17Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is then passed out into the latrine?

18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart. They are the things that defile a person.

19For from the heart proceed evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, and slander.

20These are the things that defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”

21Then Jesus went away from there and withdrew toward the regions of the cities of Tyre and Sidon.

22Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from that region. She shouted out and said, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

23But Jesus answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is shouting after us.”

24But Jesus answered and said, “I was not sent to anyone except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25But she came and bowed down before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

26He answered and said, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

27She said, “Yes, Lord, but even the little dogs eat some of the crumbs that fall from their masters' tables.”

28Then Jesus answered and said to her, “Woman, great is your faith; let it be done for you just as you wish.” At that hour her daughter was healed.

29Jesus left that place and went near to the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a hill and sat there.

30Large crowds came to him. They brought with them lame, blind, mute, and crippled people, and many others who were sick. They presented them at Jesus' feet, and he healed them.

31So the crowd marveled when they saw the mute persons speak, the crippled made well, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. They praised the God of Israel.

32Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have stayed with me for three days already and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away without eating, or they may faint on the way.”

33The disciples said to him, “Where can we get enough loaves of bread in such a deserted place to satisfy so large a crowd?”

34Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

35Then Jesus commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground.

36He took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples. The disciples gave them to the crowd.

37The people all ate and were satisfied. Then they gathered up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.

38Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.

39Then Jesus sent the crowds away and got into the boat and went into the region of Magadan.