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

¹ Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees who were of Jerusalem, saying, ² Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?

³ For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answering said, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God thro' your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, Honour thy father and mother: and He that revileth father or mother, let him die the death.

⁵ But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest have been profited by me: ⁶ Let him not honour his father or his mother. Thus have ye made void the command of God thro' your tradition. ⁷ Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophecy of you, saying,

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

¹ Then come together to him the Pharisees and certain of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem. ² And they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, unwashen hands. ³ Now the Pharisees and all the Jews, except they wash their hands to the wrist, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. ⁴ And coming from the market, unless they wash, they eat not: and many other things there are which they have received to hold, the washings of cups and pots and brasen vessels and couches. ⁵ Then the Pharisees ask him, Why walk not thy disciples, according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with defiled hands?

⁶ He answering said to them, Well hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁷ But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

⁸ For leaving the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. ⁹ And he said to them, Full well ye abolish the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother, and, Whoso revileth father or mother, he shall surely die.

¹¹ But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest have been profited by me: he shall be free. ¹² And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; ¹³ Abrogating the word of God by your traditions which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do.