^2 (A)You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.

^32 [a] “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. ^(A)You shall not add to it or take from it.

¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: ^(A)if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in ^(B)the tree of life and in ^(C)the holy city, which are described in this book.

⁷ Only be strong and ^(A)very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law ^(B)that Moses my servant commanded you. ^(C)Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success^[a] wherever you go.

The Law and the Promise

^15 (A)To give a human example, brothers:^{[a] (B)}even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.

¹⁸ For truly, I say to you, ^(A)until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

¹³ The end of the matter; all has been heard. ^(A)Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.^[a]

Traditions and Commandments

7 ^(A)Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes ^(B)who had come from Jerusalem, ² they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were ^(C)defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly,^[a] holding to ^(D)the tradition of ^(E)the elders, ⁴ and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.^[b] And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as ^(F)the washing of ^(G)cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.^[c]) ⁵ And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to ^(H)the tradition of ^(I)the elders, ^(J)but eat with ^(K)defiled hands?” ⁶ And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you ^(L)hypocrites, as it is written,

⁸ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

⁹ And he said to them, “You have a fine way of ^(O)rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ^(P)‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ^(Q)‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ ¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)^[d]— ¹² then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, ¹³ thus ^(R)making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”