Matthew 15:1-9 - Human Traditions And God's Commandments

¹ THEN came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, saying, ² Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread?

³ And he answering said to them, And why do you transgress the command of God, by your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, saying "Honour thy father and thy mother:" and, He that curseth father or mother, let him surely die.

⁵ But ye say, If any man declare to his father or mother, This is a [devoted] gift, which else might have been employed by me for thy advantage; ⁶ then he shall not with it honour his father and mother: so have ye vacated the command of God by your tradition. ⁷ Ye hypocrites, well hath Isaiah prophesied concerning you, saying,

⁸ This people draweth nigh to me with their mouths, and honoureth me with the lips, but their heart is far distant from me. ⁹ But in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines the commandments of men.

¹ AND the Pharisees, and some of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem, collected together around him. ² And seeing some of his disciples eating bread with hands unclean, that is, unwashed, they found fault. ³ For the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands to the wrist, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. ⁴ And coming from the market, unless they have washed, they never eat. And there are many other things which they have by tradition received to observe, as the washings of cups, and pots, and vessels of brass, and couches. ⁵ Then the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, Why do not thy disciples walk conformable to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?

⁶ Then he answering said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁷ Now vainly do they worship me, while teaching doctrines the commandments of men."

⁸ For leaving the command of God, ye adhere to the tradition of men, the washings of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye practise. ⁹ And he said to them, Strangely do ye make void the command of God, that ye may observe your tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, "Honour thy father and thy mother:" and "he that curseth father or mother, let him assuredly be put to death."

¹¹ But ye affirm, If a man say to his father or mother, it is Corban (that is, a gift), which otherwise might have been advantageous to thee from me; ¹² then ye permit him no more to do any thing for his father, or his mother; ¹³ abrogating the word of God by the tradition, which ye have transmitted down; and many such like things ye do.