5
So the Pharisees and the teachers of the law questioned Jesus. "Why don't your disciples live by what the elders teach?" they asked. "Why do they eat their food with 'unclean' hands?"
6
He replied, "Isaiah was right. He prophesied about you people who pretend to be good. He said, " 'These people honor me by what they say. But their hearts are far away from me.
7
Their worship doesn't mean anything to me. They teach nothing but human rules.' (Isaiah 29:13)
8
You have let go of God's commands. And you are holding on to the teachings that men have made up."
9
Jesus then said to them, "You have a fine way of setting aside God's commands! You do this so you can follow your own teachings.
10
Moses said, 'Honor your father and mother.'(Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) He also said, 'If anyone calls down a curse on his father or mother, he will be put to death.'(Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9)
11
But you allow people to say to their parents, 'Any help you might have received from us is Corban.' (Corban means 'a gift set apart for God.' )
12
So you no longer let them do anything for their parents.
13
You make the word of God useless by putting your own teachings in its place. And you do many things like that."
14
Again Jesus called the crowd to him. He said, "Listen to me, everyone. Understand this.
15
Nothing outside of you can make you 'unclean' by going into you. It is what comes out of you that makes you 'unclean.' "