Day 418 of 730

¹Then the Pharisees, and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem.

²Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, they found fault.

³(For the Pharisees, and all the Judeans, do not eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.

⁴They do not eat when they come from the marketplace, unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, and bronze vessels.)

⁵The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?"

⁶He said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

⁷But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

⁸"For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men."

⁹He said to them, "Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

¹⁰For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother;' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'

¹¹But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban, that is to say, given to God;"'

¹²then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother,

¹³making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this."

¹⁴He called all the multitude to himself, and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand.

¹⁵There 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." [

¹⁶If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!]

¹⁷When he had entered into a house away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the parable.

¹⁸He said to them, "Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him,

¹⁹because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, cleansing all the foods?"

²⁰He said, "That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man.

²¹For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,

²²covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.

²³All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."

²⁴From there he arose, and went away into the region of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house, and did not want anyone to know it, but he could not escape notice.

²⁵For a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, immediately came and fell down at his feet.

²⁶Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter.

²⁷But he said to her, "Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

²⁸But she answered him, "Yes, Sir. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."

²⁹He said to her, "For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter."

³⁰And when she went away to her house, she found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone out.

³¹Again he departed from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the region of Decapolis.

³²They brought to him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech. They begged him to lay his hand on him.

³³He took him aside from the multitude, privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue.

³⁴Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" that is, "Be opened!"

³⁵Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke clearly.

³⁶He commanded them that they should tell no one, but the more he commanded them, so much the more widely they proclaimed it.

³⁷They were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf hear, and the mute speak!"

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

²Let Israel now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

³Let the house of Aaron now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

⁴Now let those who fear the Lord say that his loving kindness endures forever.

⁵Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.

⁶The Lord is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

⁷The Lord is on my side among those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

⁸It is better to take refuge in the Lord, than to put confidence in man.

⁹It is better to take refuge in the Lord, than to put confidence in princes.

¹⁰All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord, I cut them off.

¹¹They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In the name of the Lord I indeed cut them off.

¹²They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In the name of the Lord I cut them off.

¹³You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but the Lord helped me.

¹⁴Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation.

¹⁵The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. "The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

¹⁶The right hand of the Lord is exalted! The right hand of the Lord does valiantly!"

¹⁷I will not die, but live, and declare the works of Yah.

¹⁸Yah has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

¹⁹Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yah.

²⁰This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous will enter into it.

²¹I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.

²²The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

²³This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.

²⁴This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!

²⁵Save us now, we beg you, Lord! Lord, we beg you, send prosperity now.

²⁶Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.

²⁷The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.

²⁸You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you.

²⁹Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

¹A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

²The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly.

³The Lord's eyes are everywhere, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

⁴A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit.

⁵A fool despises his father's correction, but he who heeds reproof shows prudence.

⁶In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but the income of the wicked brings trouble.

⁷The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so with the heart of fools.

⁸The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁹The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loves him who follows after righteousness.

¹⁰There is stern discipline for one who forsakes the way: whoever hates reproof shall die.

¹¹Sheol and Abaddon are before the Lord- how much more then the hearts of the children of men!

¹²A scoffer doesn't love to be reproved; he will not go to the wise.

¹³A glad heart makes a cheerful face; but an aching heart breaks the spirit.

¹⁴The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

¹⁵All the days of the afflicted are wretched, but one who has a cheerful heart enjoys a continual feast.

¹⁶Better is little, with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble.

¹⁷Better is a dinner of herbs, where love is, than a fattened calf with hatred.

¹⁸A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife.

¹⁹The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding keeps his way straight.

²²Where there is no counsel, plans fail; but in a multitude of counselors they are established.

²³Joy comes to a man with the reply of his mouth. How good is a word at the right time!

²⁴The path of life leads upward for the wise, to keep him from going downward to Sheol.

²⁵The Lord will uproot the house of the proud, but he will keep the widow's borders intact.

²⁶The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but the thoughts of the pure are pleasing.

²⁷He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live.

²⁸The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.

²⁹The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰The light of the eyes rejoices the heart. Good news gives health to the bones.

³¹The ear that listens to reproof lives, and will be at home among the wise.

³²He who refuses correction despises his own soul, but he who listens to reproof gets understanding.

³³The fear of the Lord teaches wisdom. Before honor is humility.