Mark 7:1-9
Traditions and Commandments
1 aNow when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes bwho had come from Jerusalem, 2they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were cdefiled, that is, unwashed. 3(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, ▼▼Greek unless they wash the hands with a fist, probably indicating a kind of ceremonial washing
holding to ethe tradition of fthe elders, 4and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. ▼ And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as hthe washing of icups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches. ▼▼Some manuscripts omit and dining couches
) 5And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to kthe tradition of lthe elders, mbut eat with ndefiled hands?” 6And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you ohypocrites, as it is written, p“‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
7in vain do they worship me,
teaching as qdoctrines the commandments of men.’
8You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
9And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rrejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!
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