Add parallel Print Page Options

God’s Commandments, Man’s Traditions

15 (A)Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus (B)from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they (C)do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘(D)Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘(E)He who speaks evil of father or mother is to [a]be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever you might benefit from me [b]is given to God,” he need not [c]honor his father.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:

(F)This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as (G)doctrines the commands of men.’”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:4 Lit die the death
  2. Matthew 15:5 An offering; lit a gift
  3. Matthew 15:6 By supporting them with it

Commandments and Traditions

15 Then the Pharisees and experts in the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’[a] and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of his father or mother should be put to death.’[b] But you say that if someone tells his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might have received from me has been dedicated as a gift to God,’[c] that man does not need to honor his father or his mother.[d] And so you set aside the word of God for the sake of your tradition. Hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
They worship me in vain, teaching human rules as if they are doctrines.”[e]

Read full chapter