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]”