Mark 7:1–13

Human Traditions and God’s Commandments

7 And the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered to him. 2 And they saw that some of his disciples were eating theira bread with unclean—that is, unwashed—hands. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands ⌊ritually⌋,b thus* holding fast to the traditions of the elders. 4 And when they comec from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions* which they have received and* hold fast to—for example,d the washing of cups and pitchers and bronze kettles and dining couches.)e 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat theirf bread with unclean hands?” 6 So he said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written,

‘This people honors me with theirg lips,

but their heart is far, far away from me.

7 And they worship me in vain,

teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’h

8 Abandoning the commandment of God, you hold fast to the tradition of men.”

9 And he said to them, “You splendidly ignore the commandment of God so that you can keepi your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’j and, ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother ⌊must certainly die⌋k.’l 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to hism father or to hisn mother, “Whatever ⌊benefit you would have received⌋o from me is corban”p (that is, a gift to God), 12 you no longer permit him to do anything for hisq father or hisr mother, 13 thus* making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down, and you do many similar things such as this.”

a	Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
b	Literally “with the fist”; although the exact meaning of the phrase is uncertain, there is general agreement it has to do with the ritual or ceremonial nature of the handwashing
*	Here “thus” is supplied as a component of the participle (“holding fast to”) which is understood as result
c	The phrase “when they come” is not in the Greek text but is implied
*	The word “traditions” is not in the Greek text but is implied
*	Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“have received”) has been translated as a finite verb
d	The phrase “for example” is not in the Greek text but is supplied as a clarification in the English translation
e	Several important manuscripts omit “and dining couches”
f	Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
g	Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
h	A quotation from Isa 29:13
i	Some manuscripts have “you can maintain”
j	A quotation from Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
k	Literally “let him die the death”
l	A quotation from Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9
m	Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
n	Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
o	Literally “you would have been benefited”
p	A Hebrew term referring to something consecrated as a gift to God and thus not available for ordinary use
q	Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
r	Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
*	Here “thus” is supplied as a component of the participle (“making void”) which is understood as result