Mark 7:1-13
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Traditions of the Elders
7 The(A) Pharisees(B) and some of the scribes(C) who had come from Jerusalem(D) gathered around Him. 2 They observed that some of His disciples were eating their bread with unclean(E)—that is, unwashed—hands. 3 (For the Pharisees, in fact all the Jews, will not eat unless they wash their hands ritually, keeping the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace,(F) they do not eat unless they have washed.(G) And there are many other customs they have received and keep, like the washing of cups, jugs, copper utensils, and dining couches.[a](H)) 5 Then the Pharisees(I) and the scribes(J) asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders,(K) instead of eating bread with ritually unclean[b] hands?”
6 He answered them, “Isaiah(L) prophesied(M) correctly about you hypocrites,(N) as it is written:(O)
These people honor(P) Me with their lips,
but their heart is far from Me.
7 They worship Me in vain,
teaching(Q) as doctrines(R) the commands(S) of men.(T)[c]
8 Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men.”[d] 9 He also said to them, “You completely invalidate God’s command in order to maintain[e] your tradition! 10 For Moses(U) said:
Honor your father and your mother;(V)[f] and
Whoever speaks evil of father or mother
must be put to death.(W)[g]
11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit(X) you might have received from me is Corban’” (that is, a gift(Y) committed to the temple), 12 “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13 You revoke God’s word(Z) by your tradition that you have handed(AA) down. And you do many other similar things.”
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Mark 7:1-13
Lexham English Bible
Human Traditions and God’s Commandments
7 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered to him. 2 And they saw that some of his disciples were eating their[a] bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands ritually,[b] thus[c] holding fast to the traditions of the elders. 4 And when they come[d] from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions[e] which they have received and[f] hold fast to—for example,[g] the washing of cups and pitchers and bronze kettles and dining couches.)[h] 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their[i] bread with unclean hands?” 6 So he said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their[j] lips,
but their heart is far, far away from me.
7 And they worship me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’[k]
8 Abandoning the commandment of God, you hold fast to the tradition of men.”
9 And he said to them, “You splendidly ignore the commandment of God so that you can keep[l] your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[m] and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother must certainly die[n].’[o] 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his[p] father or to his[q] mother, “Whatever benefit you would have received[r] from me is corban”[s] (that is, a gift to God), 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for his[t] father or his[u] mother, 13 thus[v] making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down, and you do many similar things such as this.”
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- Mark 7:2 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:3 Literally “with the fist”; although the exact meaning of the phrase is uncertain, there is general agreement it has to do with the ritual or ceremonial nature of the handwashing
- Mark 7:3 Here “thus” is supplied as a component of the participle (“holding fast to”) which is understood as result
- Mark 7:4 The phrase “when they come” is not in the Greek text but is implied
- Mark 7:4 The word “traditions” is not in the Greek text but is implied
- Mark 7:4 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“have received”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 7:4 The phrase “for example” is not in the Greek text but is supplied as a clarification in the English translation
- Mark 7:4 Several important manuscripts omit “and dining couches”
- Mark 7:5 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:6 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:7 A quotation from Isa 29:13
- Mark 7:9 Some manuscripts have “you can maintain”
- Mark 7:10 A quotation from Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
- Mark 7:10 Literally “let him die the death”
- Mark 7:10 A quotation from Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9
- Mark 7:11 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:11 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:11 Literally “you would have been benefited”
- Mark 7:11 A Hebrew term referring to something consecrated as a gift to God and thus not available for ordinary use
- Mark 7:12 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:12 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 7:13 Here “thus” is supplied as a component of the participle (“making void”) which is understood as result
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