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

¹ Then there come to Jesus, from Jerusalem, Pharisees and scribes, saying, ² "Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands, when they eat bread!"

³ And He, answering, said to them, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? ⁴ For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die,'

⁵ But ye say, 'Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That by which you might be profited by me is an offering,' ⁶ shall in no wise honor his father; and ye made void the word of God because of your tradition. ⁷ Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

⁸ 'This people honor 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 gather together to Him the Pharisees, and some of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem, ² and saw that some of His disciples ate bread with defiled, that is, unwashed hands. ³ For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands thoroughly, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders; ⁴ and, coming from the marketplace, unless they immerse themselves, they do not eat; and there are many other things which they received to hold; as, immersion of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels. ⁵ And the Pharisees and the scribes ask Him, "Why do not Thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"

⁶ And He said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it has been written, This people honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. ⁷ But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.

⁸ Having left the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men." ⁹ And He said to them, "Well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may hold your tradition! ¹⁰ For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.'

¹¹ But ye say, 'If a man say to his father or mother, That wherewith you might be profited by me is Corban,' that is, 'an offering to God,' ¹² ye no longer suffer him to do anything for his father or his mother; ¹³ making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye handed down; and many such things ye do."