Mark · The Evangelist

Mark · Chapter 7

Mark 7

Where does defilement actually come from? Mark 7 is structured as a sustained meditation on purity. A delegation from Jerusalem confronts Jesus over hand-washing (vv. 1-13); He responds with an Isaiah quotation that exposes ritual hypocrisy and the corban evasion that nullifies the fifth commandment. He then declares all foods clean (vv. 14-23), redirecting purity language from the body to the heart. The chapter closes in Gentile territory — a Syrophoenician daughter delivered (vv. 24-30) and a deaf man healed (vv. 31-37) — Mark's quiet argument that with the abrogation of food laws, the door to the nations has swung open.

Mark 7:1-13

Tradition versus God's Commandment

LSB Text

¹The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, ²and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. ³(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus holding to the tradition of the elders; ⁴and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) ⁵And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?" ⁶And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. ⁷But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.' ⁸Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." ⁹He was also saying to them, "You nicely set aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. ¹⁰For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, must be put to death'; ¹¹but you say, 'If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),' ¹²you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; ¹³thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that."

Greek Text

¹ Καὶ συνάγονται πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καί τινες τῶν γραμματέων ἐλθόντες ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων. ² καὶ ἰδόντες τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ὅτι κοιναῖς χερσίν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἀνίπτοις, ἐσθίουσιν τοὺς ἄρτους ³ — οἱ γὰρ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐὰν μὴ πυγμῇ νίψωνται τὰς χεῖρας οὐκ ἐσθίουσιν, κρατοῦντες τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων... ⁵ καὶ ἐπερωτῶσιν αὐτὸν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς· διὰ τί οὐ περιπατοῦσιν οἱ μαθηταί σου κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων... ⁶ ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· καλῶς ἐπροφήτευσεν Ἠσαΐας περὶ ὑμῶν τῶν ὑποκριτῶν, ὡς γέγραπται· οὗτος ὁ λαὸς τοῖς χείλεσίν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ· ⁷ μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων... ⁹ καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· καλῶς ἀθετεῖτε τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα τὴν παράδοσιν ὑμῶν στήσητε... ¹¹ ὑμεῖς δὲ λέγετε· ἐὰν εἴπῃ ἄνθρωπος τῷ πατρὶ ἢ τῇ μητρί· κορβᾶν, ὅ ἐστιν δῶρον, ὃ ἐὰν ἐξ ἐμοῦ ὠφεληθῇς... ¹³ ἀκυροῦντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ τῇ παραδόσει ὑμῶν ᾗ παρεδώκατε· καὶ παρόμοια τοιαῦτα πολλὰ ποιεῖτε.

kai synagontai pros auton hoi Pharisaioi kai tines tōn grammateōn elthontes apo Hierosolymōn... kalōs eprophēteusen Ēsaias peri hymōn tōn hypokritōn... houtos ho laos tois cheilesin me tima, hē de kardia autōn porrō apechei ap' emou... kalōs atheteite tēn entolēn tou theou, hina tēn paradosin hymōn stēsēte... korban, ho estin dōron... akyrountes ton logon tou theou tē paradosei hymōn hē paredōkate.

Key Words

κοινός koinos common, unclean

Originally meaning 'shared' or 'common' (from κοινόω, 'to make common'), this adjective developed a technical sense in Jewish purity discourse to denote ritual defilement. The semantic shift reflects the collision between Hellenistic and Jewish worldviews: what is 'common' to all is, by definition, not set apart (holy). Mark's parenthetical explanation (v. 2) shows he is translating Jewish halakhic categories for a Gentile audience. The word appears in Acts 10:14-15 where Peter's vision challenges the very categories the Pharisees here defend. Jesus will redefine 'clean' and 'unclean' not by external ritual but by internal moral reality (vv. 14-23).

παράδοσις paradosis tradition, what is handed down

From παραδίδωμι ('to hand over, deliver'), this noun denotes the oral traditions that supplemented written Torah in Second Temple Judaism. The term itself is neutral—Paul uses it positively for apostolic teaching (1 Cor 11:2; 2 Thess 2:15)—but context determines value. Here it appears seven times (vv. 3, 5, 8, 9, 13 twice), creating a drumbeat of accusation. The Pharisees claimed these traditions 'fenced' the Torah, protecting it from violation. Jesus exposes how they actually nullify (ἀκυρόω, v. 13) God's word. The irony is devastating: what was meant to safeguard Scripture ends up supplanting it.

ὑποκριτής hypokritēs hypocrite, actor

Derived from ὑποκρίνομαι ('to answer, play a part'), this noun originally referred to stage actors who wore masks. In the LXX it translates Hebrew חָנֵף (ḥānēp̄, 'godless, profane'), but Jesus employs it with biting theatrical force: the Pharisees are performing religiosity while their hearts remain distant. The Isaiah quotation (vv. 6-7) makes the charge explicit—lips and heart are misaligned. This is not mere inconsistency but a fundamental disconnect between external performance and internal reality. Mark's Jesus reserves his harshest language not for 'sinners' but for religious leaders whose scrupulosity masks spiritual bankruptcy.

ἐντολή entolē commandment, precept

From ἐντέλλομαι ('to command, enjoin'), this noun denotes authoritative instruction, particularly divine law. The word appears five times in this passage (vv. 8, 9 twice, 10), always contrasted with human παράδοσις. Jesus is not rejecting all tradition per se but establishing a hierarchy: God's ἐντολή possesses absolute authority, while human traditions must be evaluated by their fidelity to that standard. The specific commandment cited (v. 10) comes from the Decalogue itself (Exod 20:12; 21:17), making the Pharisees' evasion all the more egregious. They have found a way to 'nicely set aside' (καλῶς ἀθετεῖτε, v. 9) even the Ten Commandments.

κορβᾶν korban offering, gift devoted to God

A transliteration of Hebrew קָרְבָּן (qorbān, 'that which is brought near'), this term denotes something consecrated to the temple. Attested in Mishnaic sources (m. Nedarim), the practice allowed a person to declare property 'Corban,' making it unavailable for other uses—including parental support—while potentially retaining personal benefit. Jesus exposes the casuistry: by invoking a religious vow, one could evade the fifth commandment while appearing pious. The Aramaic word stands untranslated in Mark's text, a foreign intrusion that underscores the alien logic of using God's name to nullify God's law. It is covenant language weaponized against covenant obligations.

ἀκυρόω akyroō to nullify, invalidate, make void

Compounded from the alpha-privative and κῦρος ('authority, power'), this verb means to strip something of its binding force. In legal contexts it denoted the annulment of contracts or decrees. Jesus uses it (v. 13) to indict the Pharisees for rendering God's word legally inoperative through their interpretive tradition. The charge is not that they openly reject Scripture but that they have developed a hermeneutical system that effectively neutralizes its demands. This is interpretive violence—the text remains on the page, but its authority has been evacuated. The present participle (ἀκυροῦντες) suggests ongoing, habitual action: this is their established practice.

πυγμῇ pygmē with the fist, carefully

The dative of πυγμή ('fist'), this term has generated considerable debate. Some understand it literally (washing 'with the fist,' i.e., rubbing one hand with the other clenched); others take it as 'up to the wrist' or 'diligently.' The Vulgate renders it 'crebro' (frequently). Whatever the precise gesture, Mark is describing a ritual washing that goes beyond simple hygiene—it is a halakhic observance meant to maintain ritual purity. The obscurity of the term for modern readers mirrors the cultural distance Mark's original audience felt from these practices, hence his explanatory parenthesis (v. 3). The detail underscores how elaborate the tradition had become.

σέβομαι sebomai to worship, revere

This verb denotes religious devotion and reverent worship, often used in the LXX for the fear of Yahweh. In the Isaiah quotation (v. 7), it appears with the adverb μάτην ('in vain, to no purpose'), creating a devastating oxymoron: worship that is worthless. The issue is not the absence of worship but its futility when divorced from obedience. Jesus is not critiquing liturgical form but exposing the emptiness of ritual divorced from heart allegiance. True σέβομαι requires alignment of lips, heart, and life. When human traditions replace divine commandments, even the most elaborate worship becomes an empty performance, sound and fury signifying nothing.

Grammar & Argument

The narrative opens with συνάγονται (present middle, "they gather themselves") — the same verb Mark used for the gathering of apostles in 6:30, but here for an opposing assembly. The fact that this delegation has come ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων ("from Jerusalem") signals an official inquiry; the Sanhedrin or its representatives are now monitoring Jesus' Galilean ministry. Mark's structural cues are deliberate: 3:22 brought the first such delegation (Beelzebul charge), and now a second escalation, foreshadowing the Jerusalem confrontation that will eventually kill Him. The chiastic logic — they came to inspect His disciples' hands, He inspects their hearts — drives the whole pericope.

Mark's lengthy parenthetical (vv. 3-4) is unique among the Gospels and reveals his Roman/Gentile audience. He must explain παράδοσις τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, the oral law that the Pharisees claimed Moses received at Sinai alongside the written Torah (m. Avot 1:1). The vocabulary stack — κρατέω (firmly hold), παραλαμβάνω (receive), παραδίδωμι (hand on) — is the technical language of rabbinic transmission; Paul will later use the same chain positively for apostolic tradition (1 Cor 11:23, 15:3). Mark's point is not that tradition is intrinsically bad but that this particular tradition has metastasized: the seven occurrences of παράδοσις in vv. 3-13 hammer the indictment home.

Jesus' counter is structured as a prophetic disputation. The Isaiah 29:13 quotation (vv. 6-7) follows the LXX rather than the MT precisely because the LXX adds "in vain" (μάτην) and "teachings, commandments of men" (ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων), giving Jesus the rhetorical hook He needs. The MT is closer to "their fear of Me is a commandment of men learned by rote." Jesus uses the LXX form because Mark's audience reads the LXX, but the underlying Hebrew critique is preserved: lip-worship without heart-engagement is empty. The verb σέβομαι ("worship/revere") appears in the prophet's accusation; the noun ὑποκριτής ("hypocrite") appears in Jesus' framing — together they form the diagnosis.

The corban example (vv. 9-13) is masterful because it weaponizes the Pharisees' own halakhah against them. Vow-language in Second Temple Judaism could be irrevocable (Num 30:2; m. Nedarim 1:1-4); declaring property "Corban" formally devoted it to Temple use and made it ritually unavailable for any other purpose. The casuistic loophole — one could vow what one was about to give to one's parents, leaving them unsupported while retaining personal benefit until actual donation — was condemned even within rabbinic circles (m. Nedarim 9:1, where R. Eliezer rules such vows can be undone for parental honor). Jesus' indictment is not novel; it joins a stream of internal Jewish protest. But His verb is striking: ἀκυρόω ("to make void," v. 13) is a Greek legal term for stripping a contract of force. Their tradition has not just bent God's word; it has rendered it legally inoperative. The bitter irony of καλῶς ἀθετεῖτε ("you nicely set aside") — using the same adverb καλῶς that opened the Isaiah quote ("rightly did Isaiah prophesy") — closes the rhetorical loop.

The danger is never that one will openly reject God's word; the danger is that one will build a hermeneutical system so refined that the word can be honored on the lips while it is voided in the heart. The corban evasion shows that piety is the easiest disguise for disobedience.

Mark 7:14-23

True Defilement Comes from Within

LSB Text

¹⁴And after He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, 'Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵there 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. ¹⁶[See note in LSB.] ¹⁷And when He had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. ¹⁸And He *said to them, 'Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and goes out into the latrine?' (Thus He declared all foods clean.) ²⁰And He was saying, 'That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. ²¹For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, ²²acts of greed and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. ²³All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.'

Greek Text

¹⁴Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος πάλιν τὸν ὄχλον ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· Ἀκούσατέ μου πάντες καὶ σύνετε. ¹⁵οὐδέν ἐστιν ἔξωθεν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰσπορευόμενον εἰς αὐτὸν ὃ δύναται κοινῶσαι αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκπορευόμενά ἐστιν τὰ κοινοῦντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον. ¹⁷Καὶ ὅτε εἰσῆλθεν εἰς οἶκον ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν παραβολήν. ¹⁸καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀσύνετοί ἐστε; οὐ νοεῖτε ὅτι πᾶν τὸ ἔξωθεν εἰσπορευόμενον εἰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον οὐ δύναται αὐτὸν κοινῶσαι, ¹⁹ὅτι οὐκ εἰσπορεύεται αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν ἀλλ' εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν, καὶ εἰς τὸν ἀφεδρῶνα ἐκπορεύεται; καθαρίζων πάντα τὰ βρώματα. ²⁰ἔλεγεν δὲ ὅτι Τὸ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκεῖνο κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον. ²¹ἔσωθεν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων οἱ διαλογισμοὶ οἱ κακοὶ ἐκπορεύονται, πορνεῖαι, κλοπαί, φόνοι, ²²μοιχεῖαι, πλεονεξίαι, πονηρίαι, δόλος, ἀσέλγεια, ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός, βλασφημία, ὑπερηφανία, ἀφροσύνη· ²³πάντα ταῦτα τὰ πονηρὰ ἔσωθεν ἐκπορεύεται καὶ κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον.

¹⁴Kai proskalesamenos palin ton ochlon elegen autois· Akousate mou pantes kai synete. ¹⁵ouden estin exōthen tou anthrōpou eisporeuomenon eis auton ho dynatai koinōsai auton, alla ta ek tou anthrōpou ekporeuomena estin ta koinounta ton anthrōpon. ¹⁷Kai hote eisēlthen eis oikon apo tou ochlou, epērōtōn auton hoi mathētai autou tēn parabolēn. ¹⁸kai legei autois· Houtōs kai hymeis asynetoi este? ou noeite hoti pan to exōthen eisporeuomenon eis ton anthrōpon ou dynatai auton koinōsai, ¹⁹hoti ouk eisporeuetai autou eis tēn kardian all' eis tēn koilian, kai eis ton aphedrōna ekporeuetai? katharizōn panta ta brōmata. ²⁰elegen de hoti To ek tou anthrōpou ekporeuomenon ekeino koinoi ton anthrōpon. ²¹esōthen gar ek tēs kardias tōn anthrōpōn hoi dialogismoi hoi kakoi ekporeuontai, porneiai, klopai, phonoi, ²²moicheiai, pleonexiai, ponēriai, dolos, aselgeia, ophthalmos ponēros, blasphēmia, hyperēphania, aphrosynē· ²³panta tauta ta ponēra esōthen ekporeuetai kai koinoi ton anthrōpon.

Key Words

κοινόω koinoō to defile, make common/unclean

From κοινός ('common, shared, profane'), this verb denotes rendering something ritually impure or profane. In Levitical categories, the 'common' stood opposed to the 'holy' (קָדוֹשׁ). Jesus radically redefines the locus of defilement, moving it from external ritual categories to internal moral realities. The term appears repeatedly in this passage (vv. 15, 18, 20, 23), creating a drumbeat emphasis on the true source of uncleanness. Mark's editorial comment in verse 19 ('Thus He declared all foods clean') shows the revolutionary implications of this teaching for the early church's understanding of purity laws.

ἐκπορεύομαι ekporeuomai to proceed out, come forth

A compound verb from ἐκ ('out of') and πορεύομαι ('to go, proceed'), emphasizing origin and movement outward. Jesus uses this verb to contrast what enters a person (εἰσπορεύομαι) with what exits. The term carries theological weight: what 'proceeds out' reveals what is already within. In verse 21, the evil thoughts 'proceed out' (ἐκπορεύονται) from the heart, not from external contamination. This vocabulary echoes prophetic critiques of mere external religion (cf. Jeremiah's indictment of the deceitful heart). The present tense participles (ἐκπορευόμενα, v. 15) suggest continuous, characteristic action—not isolated incidents but the overflow of inner character.

καρδία kardia heart

The center of human personhood in biblical anthropology, encompassing intellect, will, and emotion—not merely feelings. Corresponding to Hebrew לֵב/לֵבָב, the 'heart' is the command center of moral agency. Jesus locates the source of defilement in the καρδία (vv. 19, 21), not in the stomach (κοιλία). This echoes the prophetic tradition that called for circumcision of the heart (Deut 10:16; Jer 4:4) and promised a new heart under the new covenant (Ezek 36:26). The catalog of vices in verses 21-22 all 'proceed out of the heart,' revealing that moral pollution is an inside job. External rituals cannot cleanse what is fundamentally an internal corruption.

διαλογισμοί dialogismoi thoughts, reasonings, deliberations

From διαλογίζομαι ('to reason, consider, debate'), this noun denotes internal mental processes—calculations, deliberations, or schemes. The term can be neutral but often carries negative connotations of skeptical or evil reasoning (cf. Luke 2:35; Rom 1:21). Here qualified as 'evil' (κακοί), these διαλογισμοί head the list of vices proceeding from the heart. Jesus identifies corrupted thinking as the fountainhead of corrupted behavior. The plural form suggests not isolated thoughts but patterns of reasoning, habitual mental frameworks that generate the catalog of sins that follows. This challenges any notion that sin is merely behavioral; it begins in the thought-life, in the heart's orientation.

πορνεῖαι porneiai sexual immoralities, fornications

Plural of πορνεία, a broad term encompassing all forms of sexual sin outside the covenant of marriage. Derived from πέρνημι ('to sell'), originally connected to prostitution but expanded to cover the full range of sexual violations. The plural form suggests various manifestations of sexual immorality. In Jewish moral teaching, sexual purity was paramount, yet Jesus locates its violation not in external temptation but in the heart's desires. This term appears first in the vice list (after 'evil thoughts'), perhaps reflecting its prominence in both Jewish and Greco-Roman moral discourse. Paul later develops this theme extensively, showing how sexual sin uniquely involves the body (1 Cor 6:18).

πλεονεξίαι pleonexiai acts of greed, covetousness

From πλέον ('more') and ἔχω ('to have'), literally 'the desire to have more.' This term captures the insatiable appetite for acquisition, the heart posture that always wants more than it has or needs. In biblical thought, πλεονεξία is closely linked to idolatry (Col 3:5; Eph 5:5) because it enthrones desire above God. The plural form (πλεονεξίαι) suggests repeated acts or various manifestations of greed. Jesus includes this in his catalog of heart-sins, showing that economic vice is as defiling as sexual or violent sin. The tenth commandment against coveting addresses precisely this internal orientation, revealing that the Law itself pointed beyond external compliance to heart transformation.

ὑπερηφανία hyperēphania pride, arrogance

From ὑπέρ ('over, above') and φαίνομαι ('to appear, show oneself'), denoting the attitude of showing oneself above others, self-exaltation. This term captures the essence of the prideful heart that elevates self and disdains others. In biblical theology, pride is the archetypal sin, the root of the fall (Gen 3), and stands in direct opposition to the humility God requires (Mic 6:8). That Jesus includes ὑπερηφανία in this vice list is striking: pride defiles just as surely as murder or adultery. The Pharisees' concern with external purity may itself have masked the internal defilement of pride. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (Jas 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5).

ἀφροσύνη aphrosynē foolishness, senselessness

From ἄφρων ('without mind, foolish'), formed by the privative α- and φρήν ('mind, understanding'). This noun denotes not mere intellectual deficiency but moral and spiritual folly—the practical atheism that lives as though God does not matter. In wisdom literature, the 'fool' (אֱוִיל, כְּסִיל) is not stupid but wicked, rejecting divine wisdom for self-will. Jesus concludes his vice list with ἀφροσύνη, perhaps suggesting that all the preceding sins flow from this fundamental folly—the failure to orient life around God. This echoes Psalm 14:1: 'The fool has said in his heart, There is no God.' Foolishness, like pride, is a condition of the heart that defiles and generates all manner of evil.

Grammar & Argument

Jesus structures this teaching with deliberate rhetorical force, moving from public proclamation (vv. 14-16) to private explanation (vv. 17-23). The opening summons—'Listen to Me, all of you, and understand'—is emphatic, demanding full attention for a paradigm-shifting pronouncement. The double imperative (Ἀκούσατέ... σύνετε) recalls the Shema (Deut 6:4), signaling that what follows is foundational. Verse 15 presents the core principle in antithetical parallelism: 'nothing outside... can defile' stands against 'the things which proceed out... defile.' The contrast between εἰσπορευόμενον ('going into') and ἐκπορευόμενα ('proceeding out') is stark and repeated, creating a spatial and directional framework for understanding defilement. Jesus is not merely adjusting dietary regulations; he is relocating the entire purity system from the external to the internal, from ritual to moral.

The private instruction to the disciples (vv. 17-19) reveals their incomprehension and Jesus' exasperation: 'Are you so lacking in understanding also?' The rhetorical question stings. Jesus then provides a physiological explanation—food passes through the digestive system and exits into the latrine—that is almost comically mundane for such a profound theological point. Mark's editorial aside ('Thus He declared all foods clean') is crucial: this is not merely about handwashing but about the entire Levitical food system. The parenthetical comment shows Mark interpreting Jesus' words for a Gentile audience, recognizing the revolutionary implications for the church's mission beyond Israel. The present participle καθαρίζων ('declaring clean') could be taken as referring to the digestive process itself or, more likely, to Jesus' authoritative pronouncement that redefines purity categories.

Verses 20-23 shift from what does not defile to what does, with Jesus repeating the principle ('That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles') before unpacking it with a devastating vice list. The catalog of thirteen evils proceeds 'from within, out of the heart,' emphasizing origin and source. The list moves from thought (διαλογισμοί κακοί) to action, from sexual sins (πορνεῖαι, μοιχεῖαι) to violent sins (φόνοι) to economic sins (πλεονεξίαι) to sins of speech and attitude (βλασφημία, ὑπερηφανία, ἀφροσύνη). The plural forms throughout suggest not isolated acts but patterns, habits, characteristic behaviors flowing from a corrupted heart. The concluding statement (v. 23) forms an inclusio with verse 20, framing the vice list: 'All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.' The repetition of ἔσωθεν ('from within') and ἐκπορεύεται ('proceeds out') hammers home the point—defilement is an inside job.

The theological architecture of this passage is revolutionary. Jesus is dismantling the entire purity system that structured Jewish life, not by rejecting holiness but by redefining its locus. The Law's dietary regulations served as boundary markers, distinguishing Israel from the nations and training Israel in obedience. But Jesus declares that true defilement is moral, not ritual; internal, not external. This teaching anticipates the cross, where Jesus himself becomes 'unclean' (bearing sin, becoming a curse) to make the unclean clean. It also anticipates Pentecost, when the Spirit is poured out on Gentiles without requiring them to adopt Jewish food laws. The heart, not the menu, is the issue. And if the heart is the problem, then the heart needs transformation—something no amount of handwashing or dietary observance can accomplish. Only the new covenant promise of a new heart (Ezek 36:26) can address the defilement Jesus diagnoses here.

The human problem is not that we are insufficiently religious but that we are internally corrupted. No external ritual can cleanse a defiled heart; only the God who searches the heart can transform it from within.

Mark 7:24-30

The Syrophoenician Woman's Faith

LSB Text

²⁴And from there He arose and went away to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice. ²⁵But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. ²⁶Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷And He was saying to her, 'Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.' ²⁸But she answered and *said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children's crumbs.' ²⁹And He said to her, 'Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.' ³⁰And going away to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having gone out.

Greek Text

²⁴Ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ἀναστὰς ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὰ ὅρια Τύρου. καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς οἰκίαν οὐδένα ἤθελεν γνῶναι, καὶ οὐκ ἠδυνήθη λαθεῖν· ²⁵ἀλλ' εὐθὺς ἀκούσασα γυνὴ περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἧς εἶχεν τὸ θυγάτριον αὐτῆς πνεῦμα ἀκάθαρτον, ἐλθοῦσα προσέπεσεν πρὸς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ· ²⁶ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἦν Ἑλληνίς, Συροφοινίκισσα τῷ γένει· καὶ ἠρώτα αὐτὸν ἵνα τὸ δαιμόνιον ἐκβάλῃ ἐκ τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτῆς. ²⁷καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτῇ· Ἄφες πρῶτον χορτασθῆναι τὰ τέκνα, οὐ γάρ ἐστιν καλὸν λαβεῖν τὸν ἄρτον τῶν τέκνων καὶ τοῖς κυναρίοις βαλεῖν. ²⁸ἡ δὲ ἀπεκρίθη καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Κύριε, καὶ τὰ κυνάρια ὑποκάτω τῆς τραπέζης ἐσθίουσιν ἀπὸ τῶν ψιχίων τῶν παιδίων. ²⁹καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Διὰ τοῦτον τὸν λόγον ὕπαγε, ἐξελήλυθεν ἐκ τῆς θυγατρός σου τὸ δαιμόνιον. ³⁰καὶ ἀπελθοῦσα εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς εὗρεν τὸ παιδίον βεβλημένον ἐπὶ τὴν κλίνην καὶ τὸ δαιμόνιον ἐξεληλυθός.

²⁴Ekeithen de anastas apēlthen eis ta horia Tyrou. kai eiselthōn eis oikian oudena ēthelen gnōnai, kai ouk ēdynēthē lathein· ²⁵all' euthys akousasa gynē peri autou, hēs eichen to thygatrion autēs pneuma akatharton, elthousa prosepesen pros tous podas autou· ²⁶hē de gynē ēn Hellēnis, Syrophoinikissa tō genei· kai ērōta auton hina to daimonion ekbalē ek tēs thygatros autēs. ²⁷kai elegen autē· Aphes prōton chortasthēnai ta tekna, ou gar estin kalon labein ton arton tōn teknōn kai tois kynariois balein. ²⁸hē de apekrithē kai legei autō· Kyrie, kai ta kynaria hypokatō tēs trapezēs esthiousin apo tōn psichiōn tōn paidiōn. ²⁹kai eipen autē· Dia touton ton logon hypage, exelēlythen ek tēs thygatros sou to daimonion. ³⁰kai apelthousa eis ton oikon autēs heuren to paidion beblēmenon epi tēn klinēn kai to daimonion exelēlythos.

Key Words

ὅρια horia region, territory, borders

Plural of ὅριον (horion), from ὅρος (horos), 'boundary' or 'limit.' The term denotes a defined geographical area or district, often marking the edge of one territory and the beginning of another. Tyre was a Phoenician coastal city northwest of Galilee, outside the traditional boundaries of Israel. Jesus' movement into Gentile territory is deliberate and theologically charged, anticipating the gospel's eventual reach to all nations. Mark's use of ὅρια underscores the crossing of ethnic and religious boundaries that this encounter represents.

Ἑλληνίς Hellēnis Greek, Gentile

Feminine form of Ἕλλην (Hellēn), originally denoting ethnic Greeks but by the first century broadly referring to Gentiles who participated in Hellenistic culture and spoke Greek. The term contrasts with Ἰουδαῖος (Ioudaios), 'Jew,' marking the woman as outside the covenant community of Israel. Mark's specification that she was 'a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race' emphasizes her double outsider status—culturally Hellenized and ethnically Phoenician. This identification sets up the dramatic tension of the narrative: will Jesus extend his ministry beyond the children of Israel?

Συροφοινίκισσα Syrophoinikissa Syrophoenician

A compound ethnic designation combining Συρία (Syria) and Φοινίκη (Phoenicia), distinguishing the Phoenicians of the Syrian province from those of North Africa (Libyan Phoenicians or Carthaginians). This precise ethnic marker appears only here in the New Testament. The term reflects the Roman administrative reorganization of the region, where Phoenicia was incorporated into the province of Syria. Mark's ethnographic precision highlights the woman's specific identity as a Gentile from the coastal region north of Galilee, underscoring the geographical and ethnic boundary-crossing inherent in this encounter.

χορτασθῆναι chortasthēnai to be satisfied, filled, fed

Aorist passive infinitive of χορτάζω (chortazō), originally meaning 'to feed with grass' (from χόρτος, 'grass' or 'fodder'), then extended to mean 'to satisfy with food' or 'to fill.' The verb appears frequently in Mark's feeding narratives (6:42; 8:4, 8), creating a thematic link between Jesus' miraculous provision for Jewish crowds and this discussion of who receives the 'bread.' The passive voice suggests divine agency—the children are to be satisfied by God's provision through Jesus. The use of πρῶτον ('first') implies sequence, not exclusion: Israel's priority does not negate Gentile inclusion.

κυναρίοις kynariois little dogs, household dogs

Dative plural of κυνάριον (kynarion), a diminutive of κύων (kyōn), 'dog.' The diminutive form softens what would otherwise be a harsh metaphor, suggesting household pets rather than the scavenging street dogs typically despised in Jewish culture. Dogs were generally unclean animals in Jewish thought, and 'dog' could be a derogatory term for Gentiles (cf. Philippians 3:2; Revelation 22:15). Yet the diminutive and the domestic context ('under the table') transform the metaphor into something less offensive—these are dogs within the household, not outside it. The woman seizes on this nuance in her response.

ψιχίων psichiōn crumbs, fragments

Genitive plural of ψιχίον (psychion), a diminutive of ψίξ (psix), 'morsel' or 'bit.' The term denotes small fragments of bread that fall from the table during a meal. In the ancient Mediterranean world, bread served as both food and utensil; diners would break off pieces to scoop up other foods, and crumbs naturally fell. The woman's argument turns on this domestic reality: even while the children eat, crumbs fall to the household dogs below. She is not asking Jesus to divert resources from Israel but to recognize that his abundant provision can simultaneously satisfy both children and dogs. Her logic is impeccable and her faith profound.

λόγον logon word, statement, answer

Accusative singular of λόγος (logos), from λέγω (legō), 'to say.' While λόγος has a rich theological range in the New Testament (John 1:1; Hebrews 4:12), here it refers simply to the woman's spoken response. Yet even this simple usage carries weight: Jesus commends her not merely for her faith (though that is implicit) but specifically for 'this word'—her clever, faithful, persistent answer. Her λόγος demonstrates the kind of understanding and trust that Jesus seeks. The term reminds us that faith often finds expression in words, in how we speak to and about God.

ἐξελήλυθεν exelēlythen has gone out

Perfect active indicative, third person singular, of ἐξέρχομαι (exerchomai), 'to go out' or 'to depart.' The perfect tense indicates completed action with ongoing results: the demon has departed and remains gone. This is the language of exorcism throughout Mark's Gospel (1:25-26; 5:8; 9:25-26). Jesus' declaration is performative—his word accomplishes what it announces. Notably, Jesus does not need to be physically present with the daughter; his authoritative word is effective at a distance. The perfect tense assures the woman that the deliverance is complete and permanent, a testimony to the power of Jesus' word and the efficacy of persistent faith.

Grammar & Argument

The narrative unfolds in three distinct movements: withdrawal and discovery (vv. 24-25), dialogue and testing (vv. 26-28), and declaration and confirmation (vv. 29-30). Mark opens with a geographical note that is also theological: Jesus moves into Gentile territory, specifically Tyre, a region laden with Old Testament associations of both judgment and eschatological hope. The participial construction (ἀναστὰς ἀπῆλθεν, 'having arisen, he went away') suggests deliberate action. Jesus seeks anonymity (οὐδένα ἤθελεν γνῶναι, 'he wanted no one to know'), yet Mark notes with characteristic irony that 'he could not escape notice' (οὐκ ἠδυνήθη λαθεῖν). The woman's arrival is immediate (εὐθύς, Mark's favorite adverb) and her posture submissive (προσέπεσεν πρὸς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, 'she fell at his feet'), establishing the tone of desperate supplication.

The dialogue in verses 27-28 is the heart of the passage and has generated considerable interpretive discussion. Jesus' initial response employs a parabolic saying about children, bread, and dogs. The imperfect ἔλεγεν ('he was saying') may suggest repeated or ongoing speech, perhaps indicating that Jesus is teaching through this exchange. The saying itself uses the imagery of a household meal: τὰ τέκνα ('the children') represent Israel, τὸν ἄρτον ('the bread') represents Jesus' ministry and its benefits, and τὰ κυνάρια ('the little dogs') represent Gentiles. The logic is temporal (πρῶτον, 'first') rather than absolute—Israel has priority in salvation history. The woman's response is brilliant: she accepts the metaphor but reframes it. Her use of Κύριε ('Lord') is respectful, and her καί ('even,' 'also') introduces not a contradiction but an expansion. She argues from the lesser to the greater: if even household dogs receive crumbs, surely she can receive some benefit from Jesus' abundant provision. Her argument assumes Jesus' power is not zero-sum; blessing Israel does not preclude blessing her.

Jesus' response in verse 29 is remarkable: Διὰ τοῦτον τὸν λόγον ('because of this word'). He commends not just her faith (though Matthew 15:28 makes that explicit) but specifically her answer—her λόγος. The perfect tense ἐξελήλυθεν ('has gone out') announces completed deliverance. Notably, Jesus does not accompany her home or perform any visible action; his word alone effects the exorcism at a distance. The final verse (v. 30) provides narrative confirmation: the woman finds her daughter lying on the bed (βεβλημένον, perfect passive participle, 'having been laid'), with the demon having departed (ἐξεληλυθός, perfect active participle). The double use of the perfect tense emphasizes the permanence of the deliverance. Mark's account is spare but powerful, allowing the woman's faith and Jesus' responsive grace to speak for themselves.

Faith that persists through apparent refusal, that engages rather than retreats, that takes Jesus at his word even when that word seems hard—this is the faith that moves the heart of God. The Syrophoenician woman teaches us that true faith is not offended by testing but sharpened by it.

Mark 7:31-37

Healing of the Deaf and Mute Man

LSB Text

³¹And again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis. ³²And they *brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they *pleaded with Him to lay His hand on him. ³³And Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; ³⁴and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He *said to him, 'Ephphatha!' that is, 'Be opened!' ³⁵And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. ³⁶And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it. ³⁷And they were utterly astounded, saying, 'He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.'

Greek Text

³¹Καὶ πάλιν ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῶν ὁρίων Τύρου ἦλθεν διὰ Σιδῶνος εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὁρίων Δεκαπόλεως. ³²καὶ φέρουσιν αὐτῷ κωφὸν καὶ μογιλάλον καὶ παρακαλοῦσιν αὐτὸν ἵνα ἐπιθῇ αὐτῷ τὴν χεῖρα. ³³καὶ ἀπολαβόμενος αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου κατ' ἰδίαν ἔβαλεν τοὺς δακτύλους αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὦτα αὐτοῦ καὶ πτύσας ἥψατο τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ, ³⁴καὶ ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐστέναξεν καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· ἐφφαθα, ὅ ἐστιν διανοίχθητι. ³⁵καὶ ἠνοίγησαν αὐτοῦ αἱ ἀκοαί, καὶ ἐλύθη ὁ δεσμὸς τῆς γλώσσης αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλάλει ὀρθῶς. ³⁶καὶ διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν· ὅσον δὲ αὐτοῖς διεστέλλετο, αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον περισσότερον ἐκήρυσσον. ³⁷καὶ ὑπερπερισσῶς ἐξεπλήσσοντο λέγοντες· καλῶς πάντα πεποίηκεν, καὶ τοὺς κωφοὺς ποιεῖ ἀκούειν καὶ ἀλάλους λαλεῖν.

³¹Kai palin exelthōn ek tōn horiōn Tyrou ēlthen dia Sidōnos eis tēn thalassan tēs Galilaias ana meson tōn horiōn Dekapoleōs. ³²kai pherousin autō kōphon kai mogilalon kai parakalousin auton hina epithē autō tēn cheira. ³³kai apolabomenos auton apo tou ochlou kat' idian ebalen tous daktylous autou eis ta ōta autou kai ptysas hēpsato tēs glōssēs autou, ³⁴kai anablepsas eis ton ouranon estenaxen kai legei autō· ephphatha, ho estin dianoichthēti. ³⁵kai ēnoigēsan autou hai akoai, kai elythē ho desmos tēs glōssēs autou kai elalei orthōs. ³⁶kai diesteilato autois hina mēdeni legōsin· hoson de autois diestelleto, autoi mallon perissoteron ekērysson. ³⁷kai hyperperissōs exeplēssonto legontes· kalōs panta pepoiēken, kai tous kōphous poiei akouein kai alalous lalein.

Key Words

μογιλάλον mogilalon speaking with difficulty

A rare compound from μόγις (with difficulty, scarcely) and λαλέω (to speak). This term appears only here in the New Testament and echoes the Septuagint rendering of Isaiah 35:6, where the tongue of the mute will 'sing for joy.' The word describes not complete muteness but impaired, labored speech—a stammering or impediment. Mark's choice of this unusual term creates a deliberate verbal link to Isaiah's prophecy of messianic restoration, signaling that Jesus is the one who opens deaf ears and loosens bound tongues. The medical precision of the description underscores the authenticity of the miracle that follows.

ἐφφαθα ephphatha be opened

An Aramaic imperative (אֶתְפְּתַח, ethpəṯaḥ) preserved in Greek transliteration, from the root פתח (to open). Mark retains Jesus' actual Aramaic words before translating them, a pattern seen elsewhere in his Gospel (5:41, 'Talitha koum'; 15:34, 'Eloi, Eloi'). The use of Aramaic in healing contexts may reflect the language of Jesus' prayer or command, lending intimacy and authority to the moment. The passive imperative suggests divine agency—not merely 'open yourself' but 'be opened' by God's power. This preservation of the original language allows readers to hear the very syllables Jesus spoke, bridging the centuries between the event and its retelling.

ἐστέναξεν estenaxen he sighed deeply

From στενάζω, meaning to groan, sigh deeply, or express inward distress. The verb appears in contexts of suffering, longing, or intercession (Romans 8:23, 26; 2 Corinthians 5:2, 4). Jesus' deep sigh before healing reveals his emotional engagement with human suffering—not clinical detachment but compassionate identification. Some interpreters see here a groaning over the effects of the fall, the bondage of creation to futility. Others note the intercessory dimension, as Jesus looks to heaven and sighs before commanding restoration. The term captures the pathos of the incarnation: God in flesh, moved by our afflictions, bearing our griefs even as he heals them.

δεσμὸς desmos bond, fetter

Literally a bond, chain, or fetter used to restrain prisoners (Luke 8:29; Acts 16:26; Philippians 1:7). Mark uses this term metaphorically for the man's speech impediment—his tongue was 'bound' or 'fettered.' The language evokes captivity and oppression, suggesting that physical ailments are part of a larger bondage from which Christ liberates. When the bond is 'loosed' (ἐλύθη), the imagery is of chains falling away, a prisoner set free. This vocabulary anticipates Jesus' later declaration that he came 'to proclaim release to the captives' (Luke 4:18, quoting Isaiah 61:1). The healing is thus not merely medical but liberative, a foretaste of the comprehensive freedom Christ brings.

διεστείλατο diesteilato he ordered strictly

From διαστέλλω, meaning to command, order, or charge strictly. The verb carries a sense of emphatic instruction or warning, often with the nuance of separation or distinction (hence 'to distinguish' in some contexts). Mark uses this term repeatedly for Jesus' commands to silence (5:43; 7:36; 8:15; 9:9), highlighting the so-called 'messianic secret' motif. The imperfect tense in verse 36 (διεστέλλετο) suggests repeated or ongoing commands—Jesus kept ordering them not to tell. The irony is palpable: the more strictly he commanded silence, the more abundantly they proclaimed. The term underscores Jesus' authority even as it reveals the unstoppable nature of gospel witness.

ὑπερπερισσῶς hyperperissōs beyond measure, utterly

An intensified adverb from ὑπέρ (beyond, exceeding) and περισσῶς (abundantly, exceedingly). This double-compounded form appears only here in the New Testament, expressing astonishment that surpasses normal bounds. Mark piles up superlatives to capture the crowd's reaction—they were not merely amazed but 'utterly, exceedingly, beyond-all-measure astounded.' The linguistic excess mirrors the experiential excess: Jesus' works defy adequate description. This rhetorical strategy is characteristic of Mark's vivid, breathless narrative style. The term invites readers to share the crowd's wonder, to recognize that Jesus' deeds shatter the categories of ordinary experience and demand a response of awe.

καλῶς kalōs well, nobly, rightly

An adverb from καλός (good, beautiful, noble), meaning 'well' or 'rightly.' The crowd's verdict—'He has done all things well'—echoes God's assessment of creation in Genesis 1:31 (LXX: καλὰ λίαν, 'very good'). This is not faint praise but theological recognition: Jesus' works bear the stamp of divine goodness and order. The term καλῶς can also carry ethical and aesthetic dimensions—what is done well is done rightly, beautifully, fittingly. In healing the deaf and mute, Jesus is not merely repairing defects but restoring creation to its intended wholeness. The crowd's acclamation, perhaps unwittingly, identifies Jesus as the agent of new creation, the one through whom God is making all things καλά once more.

ἀλάλους alalous mute, speechless

From the alpha-privative and λαλέω (to speak), literally 'non-speaking' or 'unable to speak.' This term denotes complete muteness, in contrast to μογιλάλον (speaking with difficulty) used in verse 32. The shift in vocabulary may reflect the crowd's generalization from the specific case to Jesus' broader healing ministry, or it may indicate that the man's impediment was severe enough to render him functionally mute. The term appears in the Septuagint of Isaiah 35:6, where the messianic age is characterized by the mute tongue shouting for joy. The crowd's declaration that Jesus 'makes the mute to speak' thus functions as an implicit messianic confession, recognizing in Jesus the fulfillment of prophetic hope.

Grammar & Argument

Mark frames this healing with a geographical notice that is both circuitous and significant: Jesus travels from Tyre through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, 'within the region of Decapolis' (v. 31). The route is indirect—Sidon lies north of Tyre, requiring a northward detour before turning southeast toward Galilee. This itinerary keeps Jesus in predominantly Gentile territory, extending the mission beyond Israel's borders that began in 7:24. The Decapolis, a federation of ten Greco-Roman cities, was largely pagan, making the crowd's later acclamation ('He has done all things well') a Gentile witness to Jesus' messianic identity. Mark is not merely chronicling movements but mapping the expansion of the kingdom into 'the regions beyond.'

The healing itself unfolds with unusual physical detail and dramatic staging. Jesus takes the man 'aside from the crowd, by himself' (v. 33), creating an intimate, private space for the miracle. The tactile elements—fingers in ears, spittle, touching the tongue—are vivid and almost sacramental, employing physical means to convey spiritual power. The looking up to heaven and deep sigh (v. 34) reveal Jesus' dependence on the Father and his emotional solidarity with human suffering. The Aramaic command 'Ephphatha!' is preserved untranslated before Mark provides the Greek equivalent, allowing readers to hear the very word of power Jesus spoke. The passive imperatives ('be opened,' διανοίχθητι) underscore divine agency: this is not magic but the creative word of God breaking into a broken world.

The aftermath introduces a characteristic Markan irony: Jesus 'gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it' (v. 36). The imperfect tenses (διεστέλλετο, ἐκήρυσσον) suggest ongoing, repeated action—Jesus kept commanding, they kept proclaiming. The comparative construction ('the more... the more') highlights the inverse relationship between Jesus' intention and the crowd's response. This is not disobedience but the unstoppable overflow of authentic encounter with Christ. Good news cannot be contained; the healed cannot be silenced. Mark's narrative strategy here is subtle: by recording Jesus' command to silence alongside the crowd's irrepressible proclamation, he both honors Jesus' messianic reserve (the 'secret' must await the cross) and validates the impulse to witness.

The crowd's verdict in verse 37 is theologically loaded: 'He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.' The language echoes Genesis 1:31 (God saw all that he had made, and it was 'very good') and Isaiah 35:5-6 (the messianic age when 'the ears of the deaf will be unstopped' and 'the tongue of the mute will shout for joy'). The perfect tense πεποίηκεν ('he has done') suggests completed action with ongoing results—Jesus' works stand as permanent testimony to his identity. The present tenses ποιεῖ ('he makes') indicate habitual or characteristic action: this is what Jesus does, who he is. The crowd, likely Gentile, offers an unwitting messianic confession, recognizing in Jesus the fulfillment of Israel's prophetic hope and the agent of new creation. Mark invites his readers to join this chorus of astonishment and acclaim.

The healing of the deaf and mute man reveals that Jesus does not merely repair what is broken—he restores creation itself, making all things 'well' as God intended from the beginning. His deep sigh before the miracle discloses the cost of redemption: God in flesh, groaning under the weight of a world in bondage, yet speaking the word that sets captives free.

LSB Choices Worth Noting

The LSB rendering of verse 32, 'they *pleaded with Him to lay His hand on him,' preserves the force of παρακαλοῦσιν (they were begging, urging, entreating). Some translations soften this to 'they asked' or 'they begged,' but the term carries a note of earnest appeal, even desperation. The LSB captures the intensity of the friends' intercession on behalf of the afflicted man, modeling the kind of persistent, faith-filled advocacy that moves Jesus to act.

In verse 35, the LSB translates ὁ δεσμὸς τῆς γλώσσης as 'the impediment of his tongue,' using 'impediment' to render δεσμός (bond, fetter). While some versions opt for 'bond' or 'restraint,' the LSB's choice of 'impediment' is more accessible to modern readers while still conveying the sense of something that hinders or obstructs. The term preserves the metaphorical force of bondage without requiring a footnote, balancing literalness with clarity.

The LSB's handling of verse 37—'He has done all things well'—renders καλῶς πάντα πεποίηκεν with straightforward fidelity. The adverb καλῶς (well, nobly, rightly) is given its primary sense, allowing the echo of Genesis 1:31 to resonate for attentive readers. Some translations add interpretive glosses ('everything he does is wonderful,' 'he does everything right'), but the LSB trusts the simplicity of 'well' to carry the theological freight, inviting readers to hear the creation overtones without imposing them.