Matthew 15:1-9
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Tradition of the Elders
15 Then(A) Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and 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, “And why do you break God’s commandment because of your tradition? 4 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]
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 revoked God’s word[f] because of your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said:
8 These people[g] honor Me with their lips,
but their heart is far from Me.
9 They worship Me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commands of men.”(G)[h]
Footnotes
- Matthew 15:2 Lit eat bread = eat a meal
- Matthew 15:4 Other mss read commanded, saying
- Matthew 15:4 Ex 20:12; Dt 5:16
- Matthew 15:4 Ex 21:17; Lv 20:9
- Matthew 15:6 Other mss read then he does not have to honor his father or mother
- Matthew 15:6 Other mss read commandment
- Matthew 15:8 Other mss add draw near to Me with their mouths, and
- Matthew 15:9 Is 29:13 LXX
Matthew 15:1-9
International Standard Version
Jesus Challenges the Tradition of the Elders(A)
15 Then some Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus and asked, 2 “Why do your disciples disregard the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands when they eat.”[a]
3 But he answered them, “Why do you also disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 Because God said,[b] ‘You are to honor your father and your mother,’[c] and, ‘Whoever curses father or mother must certainly be put to death.’[d] 5 But you say, ‘Whoever tells his father or his mother, “Whatever support you might have received from me has been given to God,”[e] 6 does not have to honor his father.’[f] Because of your tradition, then, you have disregarded[g] the authority of God’s word.[h] 7 You hypocrites! How well did Isaiah prophesy of you when he said,
8 ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 Their worship of me is empty,
because they teach human rules as doctrines.’”[i]
Footnotes
- Matthew 15:2 Lit. eat bread
- Matthew 15:4 Other mss. read commanded, saying
- Matthew 15:4 Cf. Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
- Matthew 15:4 Cf. Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9
- Matthew 15:5 Lit. is a gift
- Matthew 15:6 Other mss. read his father or his mother
- Matthew 15:6 Or invalidated
- Matthew 15:6 Other mss. read law; still other mss. read commandment
- Matthew 15:9 Cf. Isa 29:13
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