11 Bible Verses about Ritual Washing

my Lord, answer'd I, you can tell. and he said to me, these are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the lamb.

blessed are they who wash their robes, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

Wherefore, my brethren, since by virtue of the blood of Jesus we have the liberty of entring into the holy of holies, by a new and living way which he has first open'd for us, thro' the veil, that is, thro' his flesh; and having an high priest, who is established over the house of God,read more.
let us draw near with sincerity, in full assurance of faith, having our consciences purified from guilt, and our bodies washed with pure water.

after that, he poured water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. then coming to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, Lord, what! would you wash my feet? Jesus answered him, you don't at present comprehend what I am about: but hereafter you shall.read more.
Peter said to him, you shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered, if I do not cleanse thee, you cannot partake with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said to him, he that comes out from bathing has occasion only to wash his feet, the rest of his body being clean: so you are clean, but not every one of you.

address your selves to God, and you will find him present with you: cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, you that are diffident.

now there were six cisterns of stone plac'd there for the use of the Jews in their purifications, containing two or three firkins a-piece.

Now there happen'd to be a dispute about baptism between a Jews, and some of John's disciples:

Then the Scribes and Pharisees, who were of Jerusalem, came to him and said, why do your disciples violate the tradition of our ancestors, in not washing their hands when they eat bread? but he answered them, why do you violate the law of God to follow your tradition?read more.
for this is a commandment of God, "honour thy father and mother; and, he that curses father or mother, let him be punish'd with death." but your doctrine is this, if any man declares to his father or mother, that whatever he has to give for their relief is dedicated to the temple; he is not oblig'd to regard his father or his mother. thus have ye disannull'd the commandment of God by your tradition. the prophecy of Esaias exactly suits such hypocrites as you; "this people, says he, draw nigh to me, they honour me with their lips: while their hearts are far from me. but in vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines the institutions of men." Then he called the multitude and said to them, hear and understand. that which entereth by the mouth is not what defiles a man: but what defiles the man is that which is discharged by the mouth.

The Pharisees, and certain Scribes from Jerusalem, came in a body to Jesus; when observing that some of his disciples were eating with profane hands, that is, without having wash'd them, they found fault. for the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, in pursuance of their antient traditions, never eat till they have wash'd their hands up to their elbows.read more.
nay, when they have been at any publick place, they never eat till they have washed. they observe besides several traditions, such as the washing of cups, pots, brass vessels, and beds. the Pharisees, and Scribes therefore ask'd Jesus, why don't your disciples observe the tradition of the antients? why do they take their meals without washing their hands? Jesus answered, to such hypocrites as you may well be applied those words of the prophet Esaias, "this people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the institutions of men." for laying aside what is of divine appointment, you stick to their human traditions, about the washing of pots, and cups, and many other the like practices. You are in the right, said he, to abolish the laws of God, to make way for such traditions. Moses said, "honour thy father and thy mother;" and, if any one speak contemptibly of his father, or his mother, let him be put to death. but your doctrine is this, if any one shall tell his father or his mother, that what he could bestow for their relief, is corban, that is, to be given to the temple; you discharge him from the obligation of doing any thing for his father or his mother. by such traditions, and such a number of practices, as you have settled, the word of God is stript of all its authority. Then Jesus having called all the people to him, said, attend every one of you, and understand. there is nothing from without, that entring into a man can defile him: but that which originally proceeds from the man, is what defiles him. he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. When he withdrew from the people into the house, his disciples ask'd him the meaning of that maxim. and he said, are you likewise so void of understanding? don't you perceive that what passes from without into a man cannot defile him? because that does not enter into his heart, but into the belly, whence it is discharg'd, the purest part of the food being left for nutrition. but, said he, that which proceeds from a man, is what defiles him: for from within, from the heart of man proceed wicked designs, adulteries, fornications, murders; thefts, avarice, malice, fraud, impudence, envy, scandal, pride, vanity. all these vices come from within, and are what defile the man.

While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine his house, where he went, and sat down at table. but the Pharisee was surprized to see that he did not wash before dinner. upon which the Lord said to him, you Pharisees won't leave any filth upon the outside of a cup or a platter: while your consciences are abandon'd to rapine, and sensuality.read more.
do you stupidly imagine that he, who made the outward man, did not make the inward too? be but charitable to the utmost of your ability, and every thing will be pure to you.

These things being thus disposed, the priests went at all times into the first part of the tabernacle, to officiate the divine service. but into the other part, the high priest only enter'd, and that but once every year, when he carried the blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people. the holy spirit showing thereby, that the way to the holy of holys, was not yet open, while the first tabernacle was standing.read more.
This type subsists to the present time, both gifts and sacrifices being still offered, which cannot purify the mind of him that officiates only in matters relating to meats and drinks, and divers baptisms, meer external rites which were to subsist only till the time of reformation. but Christ, the high priest of a better dispensation that was to come, having appeared, is enter'd into the holy of holys by a nobler and more perfect tabernacle, not the effect of human art, but of a higher nature; nor with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he enter'd once for all into the holy of holys, after having obtained for us an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and of bulls, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkled on the unclean, can cleanse them from external impurities; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the holy spirit offered himself a spotless victim to God, purify our souls from deadly sins, to serve the living God?