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

¹ Then come to Jesus Pharisees and scribes 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 But he answered and said to them, Why do ye too transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, saying, "Honor thy father and thy mother;" and, "He that curseth father or mother, let him surely die."

⁵ But ye say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, Whatever thou mightst receive in aid from me is a gift [to God], ⁶ he shall not honor his father or his mother. Thus have ye made void the law of God for the sake of your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, saying,

⁸ "This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁹ But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

¹ And there come together to him the Pharisees, and some of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem; ² and seeing some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed hands, ³ (for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands often, do not eat, holding fast the tradition of the elders; ⁴ and on coming from the marketplace, unless they bathe, they do not eat; and there are many other things which they have received to hold, the dipping of cups, and pitchers, and brazen vessels;) ⁵ then the Pharisees and scribes ask him, Why do not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with defiled hands?

⁶ And he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honoreth 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 Laying aside, the commandment of God, ye hold fast the tradition of men. ⁹ And he said to them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses said, "Honor thy father and thy mother;" and, "He that curseth father or mother, let him surely die."

¹¹ But ye say, If a man say to his father or mother, Whatever thou mightst receive in aid from me is Corban, that is, a gift to God, [he is not bound by the command. Thus] ¹² ye suffer him no longer to do anything for his father or his mother; ¹³ making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have handed down; and many such things ye do.