Mark 7:9-23

9He added, “You have no trouble rejecting the commandments of God in order to keep your own traditions!

10For example, Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother must be put to death.’

11But you say, ‘If a person tells his father or mother that whatever he might have used to help them is corban (that is, an offering to God),

12he no longer has to do anything for his father or mother.’

13Because of your traditions you have destroyed the authority of God’s word. And you do many other things like that.”

14Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and try to understand!

15Nothing that goes into a person from the outside can make him unclean. It’s what comes out of a person that makes him unclean.

16Let the person who has ears listen!”

17When he had left the people and gone home, his disciples asked him about this illustration.

18Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand? Don’t you know that whatever goes into a person from the outside can’t make him unclean?

19It doesn’t go into his thoughts but into his stomach and then into a toilet.” (By saying this, Jesus declared all foods acceptable.)

20He continued, “It’s what comes out of a person that makes him unclean.

21Evil thoughts, sexual sins, stealing, murder,

22adultery, greed, wickedness, cheating, shameless lust, envy, cursing, arrogance, and foolishness come from within a person.

23All these evils come from within and make a person unclean.”