Matthew 15:1-9

The Tradition of the Elders

1 Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, ¹

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’ ^[a] and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ ^[b]

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. ^[c] 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.’ ^[d]”

Cross References

• 1. (Mark 7:1–13)

Footnotes

• [a] Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16
• [b] Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9
• [c] NE and TR (see also Mark 7:12); literally he need not honor his father or mother; SBL, NA, WH, and BYZ do not include or mother.
• [d] Isaiah 29:13 (see also LXX)