Matthew 15:1-20

Christian Standard Bible

The Tradition of the Elders

15 Then^(A) Jesus was approached by Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem, who asked,^{(B) 2} “Why do your disciples^(C) break the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.”^[a](D)

³ He answered them, “Why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition? ⁴ For God said:^[b] Honor your father and your mother;^[c](E) and, Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.^{[d](F) 5} But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or mother, “Whatever benefit you might have received from me is a gift committed to the temple,” ⁶ he does not have to honor his father.’^[e] In this way, you have nullified the word of God^[f] because of your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said:

Defilement Is from Within

¹⁰ Summoning the crowd, he told them, “Listen and understand: ¹¹ It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles^(H) a person, but what comes out of the mouth—this defiles a person.”^(I)

¹² Then the disciples came up and told him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?”

¹³ He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.^{(J) 14} Leave them alone! They are blind guides.^[i] And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”^(K)

¹⁵ Then Peter said, “Explain this parable to us.”^(L)

¹⁶ “Do you still lack understanding?” he^[j] asked. ¹⁷ “Don’t you realize^[k] that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is eliminated?^{[l] 18} But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a person.^{(M) 19} For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies,^(N) slander.^{(O) 20} These are the things that defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”^(P)