Human Traditions and God’s Commandments

15 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”[fn] 3 So he answered and[fn] said to them, “Why do you also break the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God said, ‘Honor your[fn] father and your[fn] mother,’[fn] and ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother must certainly die[fn].’[fn] 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his[fn] father or his[fn] mother, “Whatever benefit you would have received[fn] from me is a gift to God,” 6 need not honor his father,’[fn] and you make void the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Isaiah correctly prophesied about you saying,

• 8 [fn] lips, but their heart is far, far away from me,
• 9  teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”[fn]