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Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem. Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. They don’t eat when they come from the marketplace unless they bathe themselves, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and couches.) The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?”

He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their heart is far from me.
But they worship me in vain,
    teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’Isaiah 29:13

“For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things.” He said to them, “Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16 and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban,”’”[a] that is to say, given to God, 12 “then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making void the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down. You do many things like this.”

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Footnotes

  1. 7:11 Corban is a Hebrew word for an offering devoted to God.

The Traditions of the Elders

The(A) Pharisees(B) and some of the scribes(C) who had come from Jerusalem(D) gathered around him. They observed that some of his disciples were eating bread with unclean(E)—that is, unwashed—hands. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, keeping the tradition of the elders. 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, pitchers, kettles, and dining couches.[a](H)) So the Pharisees(I) and the scribes(J) asked him, “Why don’t your disciples live[b] according to the tradition of the elders,(K) instead of eating bread with ceremonially unclean[c] hands?”

He answered them, “Isaiah(L) prophesied(M) correctly about you hypocrites,(N) as it is written: (O)

This people honors(P) me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me.
They worship me in vain,
teaching(Q) as doctrines(R) human commands.[d](S)

Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.”[e] He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up[f] your tradition! 10 For Moses(T) said: Honor your father and your mother; [g](U) and Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.[h](V) 11 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit(W) you might have received from me is corban’” (that is, an offering(X) devoted to God), 12 “you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13 You nullify the word of God(Y) by your tradition that you have handed(Z) down. And you do many other similar things.”

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Footnotes

  1. 7:4 Other mss omit and dining couches
  2. 7:5 Lit walk
  3. 7:5 Other mss read with unwashed
  4. 7:6–7 Is 29:13
  5. 7:8 Other mss add The washing of jugs, and cups, and many other similar things you practice.
  6. 7:9 Or to maintain
  7. 7:10 Ex 20:12; Dt 5:16
  8. 7:10 Ex 21:17; Lv 20:9