² “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”^(A)

³ Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

⁶ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.

³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.^(A)

⁵ 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?”

⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”^(A)

⁹ And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe^[a] your own traditions!^(A)

¹³ Thus you nullify the word of God^(A) by your tradition^(B) that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

On Covering the Head in Worship

² I praise you^(A) for remembering me in everything^(B) and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.^(C)

¹⁴ I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous^(A) for the traditions of my fathers.^(B)