Traditions and Commandments

15 (A)Then Pharisees and (B)scribes came to Jesus (C)from Jerusalem and said, (D)“Why do your disciples break (E)the tradition of the elders? (F)For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, (G)‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, (H)‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”[a] he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have (I)made void the word[b] of God. (J)You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

(K)“‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
    teaching as (L)doctrines the commandments of men.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:5 Or is an offering
  2. Matthew 15:6 Some manuscripts law

The Tradition of the Elders

15 Then(A) Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked,(B) “Why do Your disciples(C) break the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat!”[a](D)

He answered them, “And why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition? For God said:[b]

Honor your father and your mother;(E)[c] and,
The one who speaks evil of father or mother
must be put to death.(F)[d]

But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or mother, “Whatever benefit you might have received from me is a gift committed to the temple”— he does not have to honor his father.’[e] In this way, you have revoked God’s word[f] because of your tradition. Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said:

These people[g] honor Me with their lips,
but their heart is far from Me.
They worship Me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commands of men.(G)[h]

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:2 Lit eat bread = eat a meal
  2. Matthew 15:4 Other mss read commanded, saying
  3. Matthew 15:4 Ex 20:12; Dt 5:16
  4. Matthew 15:4 Ex 21:17; Lv 20:9
  5. Matthew 15:6 Other mss read then he does not have to honor his father or mother
  6. Matthew 15:6 Other mss read commandment
  7. Matthew 15:8 Other mss add draw near to Me with their mouths, and
  8. Matthew 15:9 Is 29:13 LXX