11 Bible Verses about Ritual Washing

Most Relevant Verses

Hebrews 10:19-22

Having therefore, brethren, confidence to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he has dedicated for us, through the vail, that is, his flesh; and having a great high, priest over the house of God,read more.
let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having; our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water;

John 13:5-10

Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash his disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. Then he came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him: Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him: What I am doing you know not now, but you will know here after.read more.
Peter said to him: Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him: Unless I wash you, you have no part with me. Simon Peter said to him: Lord, not my feet only, but my hands and my head. Jesus said to him: He that has bathed needs nothing else save to wash his feet, but is wholly clean. And you are clean, but not all.

John 2:6

Now, according to the Jewish custom of purifying, six water-pots of stone had been set there, containing each two or three baths.

John 3:25

There arose, therefore, a dispute between some of John's disciples and a Jew, about purification.

Matthew 15:1-11

Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees that were of Jerusalem, saying: Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said to them: And why do you transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?read more.
For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and your mother; and, He that curses father or mother shall surely be put to death. But you say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, Whatever of mine might profit you, is a gift, he must in no way honor his father or his mother; and you make the commandment of God of no effect for the sake of your tradition. Hypocrites! well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain, do they worship me, teaching precepts, the commandments of men. And he called the multitude to him, and said to them: Hear and understand; That which enters the mouth does not defile the man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man.

Mark 7:1-23

And there came together to him the Pharisees, and some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem: and when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with common, that is, with unwashed hands: (for the Pharisees and all the Jews eat not, unless they wash their hands carefully, because they hold the tradition of the elders:read more.
and when they come from the market, they do not eat, unless they immerse themselves. And there are many other things, which they have received to hold, as the immersion of cups and pitchers and brazen vessels and beds:) then the Pharisees and the scribes asked him: Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands? He answered and 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. In vain do they worship me, teaching precepts, the commandments of men. For, neglecting the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the immersion of pitchers and cups; and many other things like these you do. And he said to them: Well do you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition. For Moses said: Honor your father and your mother; and, He that curses father or mother shall surely be put to death. But you say: If a man shall say to his father or mother, What ever of mine might benefit you, is Corban, (which means, a gift,) you no longer suffer him to do any thing for his father or mother, making the word of God of no effect by your tradition, which you have delivered; and many things like these you do. And he called the whole multitude to him, and said to them: Hear me, all of you, and understand. There is nothing with out that, by entering into a man, can defile him. But those things which come out of the man, defile him. If any one has ears to hear, let him hear. And when he had gone into the house, away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the dark saying. And he said to them: Are you also so void of understanding? Do you not perceive that nothing from without, by entering into a man, can defile him? Because it does not enter into his heart, but into his belly, and goes out into the sink, cleansing all food. And he said: What comes out of the man, is that which defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the purposes which are evil: adulteries, lewd actions, murders, thefts, schemes for extortion, wicked deeds, deceit, wantonness, an evil eye, calumny, haughtiness, impiety. All these evil things come forth from within, and defile the man.

Luke 11:37-41

And as he spoke, a certain Pharisee asked him to dine with him. And he went in and reclined at table. And when the Pharisee saw it, he wondered that he had not first immersed himself before dinner. And the Lord said to him: Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and the plate; but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.read more.
Senseless men, did not he who made the outside, make the inside also? But give as charity the contents of the cup, and behold, all things are clean for you.

Hebrews 9:6-14

Now, when these things were thus arranged, the priests went, at all times, into the first tabernacle, discharging the service of God. But into the second, the high priest alone went, once during the year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: the Holy Spirit signifying this, that the way into the most holy was not yet made manifest, while the first tabernacle was still standing,read more.
which, as a symbol, remains to the present time, in which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that can not make perfect, as it respects the conscience, him that does the service; since he relies only on meats and drinks and various immersions, ordinances in deed of the flesh, which were imposed till the time of reformation. But Christ, having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, (that is, not of this building,) entered, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, once for all, into the most holy, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, cleanses them as it respects the purity of the flesh, how much more will the blood of the Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works, in order that you may serve the living God?

Bible Theasaurus

Never miss a post

Related Readings