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Scribes and Pharisees: Why don’t Your disciples follow the traditions passed down to us? Why do they eat their bread with defiled hands?

Jesus: Isaiah prophesied wisely about your religious pretensions when he wrote,

    These people honor Me with words off their lips;
        meanwhile their hearts are far from Me.
    Their worship is empty, void of true devotion.
        They teach a human commandment, memorized and practiced by rote.[a]

When you cling blindly to your own traditions [such as washing utensils and cups],[b] you completely miss God’s command. Then, indeed, you have perfected setting aside God’s commands for the sake of your tradition. 10 Moses gave you God’s commandment: “Honor your father and your mother.”[c] And also, “If you curse your father or your mother, you will be put to death.”[d] 11 But you say to your aged parents, “I’ve decided that the support you were expecting from me will now be the holy offering set aside for God.” 12 After that he is not allowed to do anything for his parents. 13 Do you think God wants you to honor your traditions that you have passed down? This is only one of many places where you are blind. 14 (to the crowd that had gathered) Listen, all of you, to this teaching. I want you to understand. 15 There is nothing outside someone that can corrupt him. Only the things that come out of a person can corrupt him. [16 All who have ears to hear, let them listen.][e]

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Footnotes

  1. 7:6–7 Isaiah 29:13
  2. 7:8 Some of the earliest manuscripts omit this portion.
  3. 7:10 Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16
  4. 7:10 Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9
  5. 7:16 Some manuscripts omit verse 16.

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders(A) instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’[a](B)

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”(C)

And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe[b] your own traditions!(D) 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[c](E) and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[d](F) 11 But you say(G) that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God(H) by your tradition(I) that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” [16] [e]

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:7 Isaiah 29:13
  2. Mark 7:9 Some manuscripts set up
  3. Mark 7:10 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16
  4. Mark 7:10 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9
  5. Mark 7:16 Some manuscripts include here the words of 4:23.