Matthew 15:1-9

Disciples’ Literal New Testament

Jesus Condemns The Pharisees For Obeying Their Traditions Instead of God’s Commands

15 Then Pharisees and scribes come to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, ² “For what reason are Your disciples transgressing the tradition of the elders? For they are not washing^[a] their hands when they eat bread”. ³ But the One, having responded, said to them, “For what reason indeed are you transgressing the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴ For God said [in Ex 20:12]: ‘Be honoring your father and your mother’, and [in Ex 21:17] ‘Let the one speaking-evil-of father or mother come-to-an-end^[b] by a death’. ⁵ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or his mother: “Whatever you might be benefitted from me is a gift^[c] [to God]” ⁶ shall by-no-means honor^[d] his father’. And you nullified^[e] the word of God for the sake of your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly concerning you, saying [in Isa 29:13]: ⁸ ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far distant from Me. ⁹ But they are worshiping Me in-vain^[f]— teaching as teachings the commandments of humans’”.