Matthew 15:1-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Tradition of the Elders
15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.”(A) 3 He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said,[a] ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die.’(B) 5 But you say that whoever tells father or mother, ‘Whatever support you might have had from me is given to God,’[b] then that person need not honor the father.[c](C) 6 So, for the sake of your tradition, you nullify the word[d] of God. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said:
8 ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;(D)
9 in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’ ”(E)
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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