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

¹ Then the Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, ² "Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread."

³ And he answered them, "Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'

⁵ But you say, 'Whoever may tell his father or his mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God," ⁶ he shall not honor his father or mother.' You have made the word of God void because of your tradition. ⁷ You hypocrites. Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

⁸ 'These people honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. ⁹ And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.'"

¹ Then the Pharisees, and some of the scribes gathered together to him, having come from Jerusalem. ² Now when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands, they found fault. ³ (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. ⁴ They do not eat when they come from the marketplace, unless they wash, and there are many other things, which they have received to hold to: washings of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and dining couches.) ⁵ The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?"

⁶ He said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁷ But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'

⁸ "For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men." ⁹ He said to them, "Full well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother;' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'

¹¹ But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban, that is to say, given to God;"' ¹² then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother, ¹³ making void the word of God by your tradition, which you have handed down. You do many things like this."