Add parallel Print Page Options

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.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

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

Jesus Challenges the Tradition of the Elders(A)

The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus.[a] They noticed that some of his disciples were eating[b] with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. (The Pharisees—and indeed all the Jewish people—don’t eat unless they wash their hands properly,[c] following the tradition of their elders. They don’t eat anything from the marketplace unless they dip it in water. They also observe many other traditions, such as the proper washing of washing cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.)[d] So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus,[e] “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat[f] with unclean hands.”

He told them, “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.
Their worship of me is worthless,
    because they teach human rules as doctrines.’[g]

You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”

Then he told them, “You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition! 10 Because Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[h] and, ‘Whoever curses his father or mother must certainly be put to death.’[i] 11 But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or mother, “Whatever support you might have received from me is Corban,”’ (that is, an offering to God) 12 ‘you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.’ 13 You are destroying the word of God through your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other things like that.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:1 Lit. him
  2. Mark 7:2 Lit. eating bread
  3. Mark 7:3 Lit. with a fist
  4. Mark 7:4 Other mss. lack and dinner tables
  5. Mark 7:5 Lit. him
  6. Mark 7:5 Lit. eat bread
  7. Mark 7:7 Cf. Isa 29:13
  8. Mark 7:10 Cf. Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
  9. Mark 7:10 Cf. Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9