23 Bible Verses about Traditions

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands thoroughly, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders; 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.

So they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of Jews is to bury.

Now I praise you, that you remember me in all things, and hold fast the traditions, even as I delivered them to you.

but prove all things, hold fast that which is good.

And the things which you heard from me, through many witnesses, these commit to faithful men, who will be competent to teach others also.

For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus, in the same night in which He was being betrayed, took bread;

having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the chief corner-stone;

So, then, brethren, stand fast, and hold the instructions which ye were taught, whether through speech, or through letter of ours.

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the instruction which ye received from us.

And He, answering, said to them, "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die,' But ye say, 'Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That by which you might be profited by me is an offering,'read more.
shall in no wise honor his father; and ye made void the word of God because of your tradition.

And He said to them, "Well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may hold your tradition! For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and 'He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.' 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,'read more.
ye no longer suffer him to do anything for his father or his mother; making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye handed down; and many such things ye do."

Beware, lest there should be any one who makes a spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceits, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ;

If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as if living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to decrees, "Handle not, taste not, touch not," (which are all for destruction in the using), according to the commandments and teachings of men?

This testimony is true. For which cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they come and say to Him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Thy disciples fast not?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the sons of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast; but there will come days when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.read more.
No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; else the patch takes from it, the new from the old, and a worse rent is made. And no one puts new wine into old wine-skins; else the wine will burst the skins, and the wine perishes, and the skins; but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins."

Then came to Him the disciples of John, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Thy disciples fast not?" Jesus said to them, "Can the sons of the bridechamber mourn while the Bridegroom is with them! But there will come days, when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then will they fast." "And no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse rent is made."read more.
"Neither do they put new wine into old wine-skins; otherwise, indeed, the skins burst, and the wine runs out, and the skins are destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wine-skins, and both are preserved together."

And they said to Him, "The disciples of John fast often, and make supplications; likewise also those of the Pharisees; but Thine are eating and drinking!" And Jesus said to them, "Can ye make the sons of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come; and, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then they will fast in those days."read more.
And He spake also a parable to them: "No one, rending a piece from a new garment, puts it on an old garment; else both the new will cause a rent, and the piece from the new will not agree with the old. "And no one puts new wine into old wine-skins; else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be poured out, and the skins will perish. But new wine must be put into fresh skins. And no one, having drunk old wine, wishes new; for he says, 'The old is mellow.'

knowing that, not with perishable things, with silver or gold, were ye redeemed from your vain course of life handed down from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot;

"Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands, when they eat bread!"

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?"

But, when Cephas came to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was blameworthy; for, before certain ones came from James, he was eating with the gentiles; but, when they came, he was withdrawing and separating himself, fearing those of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also dissembled with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.read more.
But, when I saw that they were not walking uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas in presence of them all, "If you, being a Jew, live as do the gentiles, and not as the Jews, how do you compel the gentiles to live as do the Jews?" We who are by nature Jews, and not sinners from among the gentiles, yet knowing that a man is not justified by works of law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of law; because by works of law no flesh shall be justified.

but, after having known God, or rather having been known by God, how are ye turning back again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which ye desire to be in bondage again? Ye are scrupulously observing days, and months, and seasons, and years! I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have toiled for you in vain.