Mark 7:1-4

Traditions and Commandments

1 ¹Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes ²who had come from Jerusalem,

2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were ³defiled, that is, unwashed.

3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, ^[a] holding to ⁴the tradition of ⁵the elders,

4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. ^[b] And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as ⁶the washing of ⁷cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches. ^[c])

Cross References

• 1. 7:1 For ver. 1-30, see Matt. 15:1-28
• 2. 7:1 ch. 3:22
• 3. 7:2 [Acts 10:14; Rom. 14:14 (Gk.)]
• 4. 7:3 Gal. 1:14; Col. 2:8
• 5. 7:3 Heb. 11:2
• 6. 7:4 Heb. 9:10; [John 2:6]
• 7. 7:4 Matt. 23:25; Luke 11:39

Footnotes

• [a] 7:3 Greek 'unless they wash the hands with a fist', probably indicating a kind of ceremonial washing
• [b] 7:4 Greek 'unless they baptize'; some manuscripts 'unless they purify themselves'
• [c] 7:4 Some manuscripts omit 'and dining couches'