What Does the Lord Require?

Traditions and Commandments

7 ^(A)Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes ^(B)who had come from Jerusalem, ² they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were ^(C)defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly,^[a] holding to ^(D)the tradition of ^(E)the elders, ⁴ and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.^[b] And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as ^(F)the washing of ^(G)cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.^[c]) ⁵ And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to ^(H)the tradition of ^(I)the elders, ^(J)but eat with ^(K)defiled hands?” ⁶ And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you ^(L)hypocrites, as it is written,

⁸ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

What Defiles a Person

¹⁴ And he called the people to him again and said to them, ^(A)“Hear me, all of you, and understand: ^15 (B)There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”^{[a] 17} And when he had entered ^(C)the house and left the people, ^(D)his disciples asked him about the parable. ¹⁸ And he said to them, “Then ^(E)are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ since it enters not his heart ^(F)but his stomach, and is expelled?”^[b] (^(G)Thus he declared all foods clean.) ²⁰ And he said, ^(H)“What comes out of a person is what defiles him. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, ^(I)murder, adultery, ²² coveting, wickedness, deceit, ^(J)sensuality, ^(K)envy, ^(L)slander, ^(M)pride, ^(N)foolishness. ^23 (O)All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”