Proper 17 (22)

17Verse 17. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. 18Verse 18. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. 19Verse 19. My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20Verse 20. for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires. 21Verse 21. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls. 22Verse 22. Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23Verse 23. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, 24Verse 24. and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25Verse 25. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so — not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer — he will be blessed in what he does. 26Verse 26. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. 27Verse 27. Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

1Verse 1. Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, 2Verse 2. and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled— that is, unwashed. 3Verse 3. Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. 4Verse 4. And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining. 5Verse 5. So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.” 6Verse 6. Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 7Verse 7. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ 8Verse 8. You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men. ” 14Verse 14. Once again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “All of you, listen to Me and understand: 15Verse 15. Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.” 21Verse 21. For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22Verse 22. greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. 23Verse 23. All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”