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

¹ Then come unto Jesus do they from Jerusalem -- scribes and Pharisees -- saying, ² 'Wherefore do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they may eat bread.'

³ And he answering said to them, 'Wherefore also do ye transgress the command of God because of your tradition? ⁴ for God did command, saying, Honour thy father and mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother -- let him die the death;

⁵ but ye say, Whoever may say to father or mother, An offering is whatever thou mayest be profited by me; -- ⁶ and he may not honour his father or his mother, and ye did set aside the command of God because of your tradition. ⁷ 'Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

⁸ This people doth draw nigh to Me with their mouth, and with the lips it doth honour Me, but their heart is far off from Me; ⁹ and in vain do they worship Me, teaching teachings -- commands of men.'

¹ And gathered together unto him are the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, having come from Jerusalem, ² and having seen certain of his disciples with defiled hands -- that is, unwashed -- eating bread, they found fault; ³ for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, if they do not wash the hands to the wrist, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders, ⁴ and, coming from the market-place, if they do not baptize themselves, they do not eat; and many other things there are that they received to hold, baptisms of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and couches. ⁵ Then question him do the Pharisees and the scribes, 'Wherefore do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but with unwashed hands do eat the bread?'

⁶ and he answering said to them -- 'Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, hypocrites, as it hath been written, This people with the lips doth honour Me, and their heart is far from Me; ⁷ and in vain do they worship Me, teaching teachings, commands of men;

⁸ for, having put away the command of God, ye hold the tradition of men, baptisms of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do.' ⁹ And he said to them, 'Well do ye put away the command of God that your tradition ye may keep; ¹⁰ for Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother -- let him die the death;

¹¹ and ye say, If a man may say to father or to mother, Korban (that is, a gift), is whatever thou mayest be profited out of mine, ¹² and no more do ye suffer him to do anything for his father or for his mother, ¹³ setting aside the word of God for your tradition that ye delivered; and many such like things ye do.'