24 Bible Verses about Traditions

for the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, in pursuance of their antient traditions, never eat till they have wash'd their hands up to their elbows. nay, when they have been at any publick place, they never eat till they have washed. they observe besides several traditions, such as the washing of cups, pots, brass vessels, and beds.

when Jesus therefore was twelve years old they went thither, as was customary at the time of that festival.

they took therefore the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, according to the manner of burial among the Jews.

now I commend you, brethren, for remembring all my orders, and for keeping the rules I delivered to you.

bring every thing to the test: if it be proof, abide by that:

and what you heard me deliver in the presence of many, intrust to such persons of integrity as are qualified to instruct others

For I received it from the Lord, and I inform'd you of it: that the Lord Jesus, the night in which he was betrayed, took bread:

being built upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, whereof Jesus Christ himself is the main stone of the angle:

be stedfast therefore, and firmly maintain the doctrine I have delivered to you, either by word of mouth, or by my letter.

We direct you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from all those of your brethren, whose conduct is irregular, and not agreeable to the instructions they received from us.

but he answered them, why do you violate the law of God to follow your tradition? for this is a commandment of God, "honour thy father and mother; and, he that curses father or mother, let him be punish'd with death." but your doctrine is this, if any man declares to his father or mother, that whatever he has to give for their relief is dedicated to the temple; he is not oblig'd to regard his father or his mother.read more.
thus have ye disannull'd the commandment of God by your tradition.

You are in the right, said he, to abolish the laws of God, to make way for such traditions. Moses said, "honour thy father and thy mother;" and, if any one speak contemptibly of his father, or his mother, let him be put to death. but your doctrine is this, if any one shall tell his father or his mother, that what he could bestow for their relief, is corban, that is, to be given to the temple;read more.
you discharge him from the obligation of doing any thing for his father or his mother. by such traditions, and such a number of practices, as you have settled, the word of God is stript of all its authority.

beware lest any one seduce you by the vain illusions of philosophy, founded upon human traditions, and meer shadows, and not upon Christ:

If then you are dead with Christ, in respect of those shadows of the Jewish state; why do ye, as if you were still in that state, submit to those ordinances? "don't eat this, don't taste that, nor touch it:" which yet were all made to be consumed for our use, notwithstanding the injunctions and doctrines of men:

the charge is true: wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they maybe sound in the faith; not doating on Jewish Fables, and the tenets of men, that deviate from the truth.

It was customary for the Pharisees, and the disciples of John, to fast; they came therefore and ask'd him, why do John's disciples, and the Pharisees fast so frequently, and not your disciples? Jesus answered, can the bridemen fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. but the time will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast.read more.
indeed no man ever sews a piece of new cloth on an old garment: because the new piece that is patch'd on, draws the old, and rends it still worse. so no man pours new wine into old skins, for that would burst them, and then both would be lost: but new wine must be put into new skins.

Then John's disciples came to him and said, why do the Pharisees, as well as we, observe so many fasts, and your disciples keep none? Jesus answer'd them, can the bride-men mourn, while the bridegroom is with them? the day indeed will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then will be the time to fast. new cloth is never patch'd upon an old garment: for the patch will draw the garment, and rend it still worse.read more.
neither do men put new wine into old skins: if they should, the bottles will burst, so that the wine will be lost and the skins be spoil'd: but they put new wine into new skins, whereby both are preserved.

and likewise those of the Pharisees, are frequently fasting and praying, while yours are employed in eating and drinking? to which he answered, would you have the bridemen fast, while the bridegroom is with them? however, the time will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they will have occasions enow of fasting.read more.
Besides, he applied this similitude to them. no man, said he, puts a piece of new cloth upon an old coat: if he does, the new will strain the old, and they will by no means suit one another. nor will any one put new wine into old skins: if they do, the new wine will burst the skins, and wine and skins be all lost. but new wine must be put into new skins, and both will be preserv'd. so no-body that has been drinking old wine, will immediately call for new: for 'tis his maxim, "the old is best."

considering, that it was not by such perishable things as silver or gold, that you were releas'd from those vain rites and customs impos'd upon you by your fathers, but by the precious blood of Christ, who is the lamb without spot, and without blemish:

why do your disciples violate the tradition of our ancestors, in not washing their hands when they eat bread?

the Pharisees, and Scribes therefore ask'd Jesus, why don't your disciples observe the tradition of the antients? why do they take their meals without washing their hands?

But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, for he was to be blamed. for till certain Jews came thither from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, for fear of those, who were for circumcision: and the rest of the Jews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas himself was carried away with their hypocrisy.read more.
but when I saw, they conformed not their conduct to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all: if you being a Jew, live after the manner of the Gentiles, and not according to that of the Jews, why do you constrain the Gentiles to judaize? We are Jews by birth, and not of the sinful race of the Gentiles, yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in him, and not by the works of the law, by which there is no justification.

or rather that you are favoured by him, how can ye turn again to the weak and beggarly elements of the law, to which you desire again to be in bondage? observing as you do, the days, the moons, the feasts and years. you make me apprehensive, that the labour I have bestowed upon you will be all in vain.