# Mark 7.21-23

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [Mark](/codex/john-mark/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 19. because it goeth not into his heart, but into his belly, and goeth out into the draught? This he said, making all meats clean. 20. And he said, <span class="rl-speech">That which proceedeth out of the man, that defileth the man.</span>
>
> **21. <span class="rl-speech">For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness:</span> 23. <span class="rl-speech">all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man.</span>**
>
> 24. And from thence he arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered into a house, and would have no man know it; and he could not be hid. 25. But straightway a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. (Mark 7:19-25, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 19. <span class="rl-speech">because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, thus purifying all foods ?”</span> 20. He said, <span class="rl-speech">“That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man.</span>
>
> **21. <span class="rl-speech">For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.</span> 23. <span class="rl-speech">All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”</span>**
>
> 24. From there he arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house, and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice. 25. For a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. (Mark 7:19-25, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 19. <span class="rl-speech">Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?</span> 20. And he said, <span class="rl-speech">That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.</span>
>
> **21. <span class="rl-speech">For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: <sup>covetousness: Gr. covetousnesses, wickednesses</sup></span> 23. <span class="rl-speech">All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.</span>**
>
> 24. And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. 25. For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: (Mark 7:19-25, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 19. <span class="rl-speech">because it doth not enter into his heart, but into the belly, and into the drain it doth go out, purifying all the meats.'</span> 20. And he said, <span class="rl-speech">'That which is coming out from the man, that doth defile the man;</span>
>
> **21. <span class="rl-speech">for from within, out of the heart of men, the evil reasonings do come forth, adulteries, whoredoms, murders,</span> 22. <span class="rl-speech">thefts, covetous desires, wickedness, deceit, arrogance, an evil eye, evil speaking, pride, foolishness;</span> 23. <span class="rl-speech">all these evils do come forth from within, and they defile the man.'</span>**
>
> 24. And from thence having risen, he went away to the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and having entered into the house, he wished none to know, and he was not able to be hid, 25. for a woman having heard about him, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having come, fell at his feet, (Mark 7:19-25, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** Mark / John Mark (traditionally, on Peter's preaching) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** Gentile-Roman Christian audience (heavy explanation of Jewish customs)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); Rome (likely composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 55-70

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G2588 - kardia](/codex/g2588-kardia/), *kardia* (Strong's G2588). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.28](/codex/matthew-5-28/), [Matthew 6.21](/codex/matthew-6-21/), [Matthew 9.4](/codex/matthew-9-4/).
- [G3956 - pas](/codex/g3956-pas/), *pas* (Strong's G3956). Also appears in: [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 2.1-6](/codex/matthew-2-1-6/), [Matthew 2.16](/codex/matthew-2-16/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

<!-- BACKLINKS:START -->
## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Ritual Purity Laws Objection Defeater](/codex/ritual-purity-laws-objection-defeater/), via [Mark 7.1-23](/codex/mark-7-1-23/)

**Concepts:**

- [External Sources of Thought](/codex/external-sources-of-thought/)
- [Is Being Gay Biological](/codex/is-being-gay-biological/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Mark 7](/codex/mark-7/)
- [Ritual Purity Laws Objection](/codex/ritual-purity-laws-objection/), via [Mark 7.1-23](/codex/mark-7-1-23/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G2588 - kardia](/codex/g2588-kardia/)
- [H3820 - lev](/codex/h3820-lev/), via [Mark 7.21](/codex/mark-7-21/)
- [H3824 - lebab](/codex/h3824-lebab/)

<!-- BACKLINKS:END -->