The Tradition of the Elders

(Mark 7:1–13)

15 Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”

3 Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’[fn] and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’[fn] 5 But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ 6 he need not honor his father or mother with it.[fn] Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you:

8 ‘These people honor Me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from Me.

9 They worship Me in vain;

they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’[fn]”