24 Bible Verses about Traditions

(For the Pharisees and all the Jews--being, as they are, zealous for the traditions of the Elders--never eat without first carefully washing their hands, and when they come from market they will not eat without bathing first; and they have a good many other customs which they have received traditionally and cling to, such as the rinsing of cups and pots and of bronze utensils, and the washing of beds.)

And when He was twelve years old they went up as was customary at the time of the Feast, and,

Taking down the body they wrapped it in linen cloths along with the spices, in accordance with the Jewish mode of preparing for burial.

Now I commend you for remembering me in everything, and because you hold fast truths and practices precisely as I have taught them to you.

but test all such, and retain hold of the good.

All that you have been taught by me in the hearing of many witnesses, you must hand on to trusty men who shall themselves, in turn, be competent to instruct others also.

For it was from the Lord that I received the facts which, in turn, I handed on to you; how that the Lord Jesus, on the night He was to be betrayed, took some bread,

You are a building which has been reared on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, the cornerstone being Christ Jesus Himself,

So then, brethren, stand your ground, and hold fast to the teachings which you have received from us, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

But, by the authority of the Lord, we command you, brethren, to stand aloof from every brother whose life is disorderly and not in accordance with the teaching which all received from us.

"Why do you, too," He retorted, "transgress God's commands for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother'; and 'Let him who reviles father or mother be certainly put to death'; but you--this is what you say: 'If a man says to his father or mother, That is consecrated, whatever it is, which otherwise you should have received from me--read more.
he shall be absolved from honouring his father'; and so you have abrogated God's Word for the sake of your tradition.

"Praiseworthy indeed!" He added, "to set at nought God's Commandment in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother' and again, 'He who curses father or mother, let him die the death.' But *you* say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, It is a Korban (that is, a thing devoted to God)read more.
And so you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or mother, thus nullifying God's precept by your tradition which you have handed down. And many things of that kind you do."

Take care lest there be some one who leads you away as prisoners by means of his philosophy and idle fancies, following human traditions and the world's crude notions instead of following Christ.

If you have died with Christ and have escaped from the world's rudimentary notions, why, as though your life still belonged to the world, do you submit to such precepts as "Do not handle this;" "Do not taste that;" "Do not touch that other thing" -- referring to things which are all intended to be used up and perish--in obedience to mere human injunctions and teachings?

This testimony is true. Therefore sternly denounce them, that they may be robust in their faith, and not give attention to Jewish legends and the maxims of men who turn their backs on the truth.

(Now John's disciples and those of the Pharisees were keeping a fast.) "Can a wedding party fast while the bridegroom is among them?" replied Jesus. "So long as they have the bridegroom with them, fasting is impossible. But a time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast.read more.
No one mends an old garment with a piece of unshrunk cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away from it--the new from the old--and a worse hole would be made. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the wine would burst the skins, and both wine and skins would be lost. New wine needs fresh skins!"

At that time John's disciples came and asked Jesus, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?" "Can the bridegroom's party mourn," He replied, "as long as the bridegroom is with them? But other days will come (when the Bridegroom has been taken from them) No one ever mends an old cloak with a patch of newly woven cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away some of the old, and a worse hole would be made.read more.
Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins would split, the wine would escape, and the skins be destroyed. But they put new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved."

Again they said to Him, "John's disciples fast often and pray, as do also those of the pharisees; but yours eat and drink." "Can you compel the bridal party to fast," replied Jesus, "so long as they have the bridegroom among them? But a time for this will come, when the Bridegroom has been taken away from them: then, at that time, they will fast."read more.
He also spoke in figurative language to them. "No one," He said, "tears a piece from a new garment to mend an old one. Otherwise he would not only spoil the new, but the patch from the new would not match the old. Nor does any one pour new wine into old wine-skins. Otherwise the new wine would burst the skins, the wine itself would be spilt, and the skins be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. Nor does any one after drinking old wine wish for new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"

knowing, as you do, that it was not with a ransom of perishable wealth, such as silver or gold, that you were set free from your frivolous habits of life which had been handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ--as of an unblemished and spotless lamb.

"Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders by not washing their hands before meals?"

So the Pharisees and Scribes put the question to Him: "Why do your disciples transgress the traditions of the Elders, and eat their food with unclean hands?"

Now when Peter visited Antioch, I remonstrated with him to his face, because he had incurred just censure. For until certain persons came from James he had been accustomed to eat with Gentiles; but as soon as these persons came, he withdrew and separated himself for fear of the Circumcision party. And along with him the other Jews also concealed their real opinions, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their lack of straightforwardness.read more.
As soon as I saw that they were not walking uprightly in the spirit of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, though you are a Jew, live as a Gentile does, and not as a Jew, how can you make the Gentiles follow Jewish customs? You and I, though we are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, know that it is not through obedience to Law that a man can be declared free from guilt, but only through faith in Jesus Christ. We have therefore believed in Christ Jesus, for the purpose of being declared free from guilt, through faith in Christ and not through obedience to Law. For through obedience to Law no human being shall be declared free from guilt.

Now, however, having come to know God--or rather to be known by Him--how is it you are again turning back to weak and worthless rudimentary notions to which you are once more willing to be enslaved? You scrupulously observe days and months, special seasons, and years. I am alarmed about you, and am afraid that I have perhaps bestowed labour upon you to no purpose.