(A)Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?”

He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you (B)hypocrites, as it is written:

(C)‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—[a]the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.”

He said to them, All too well (D)you [b]reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:8 NU omits the rest of v. 8.
  2. Mark 7:9 set aside

So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders(A) instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
    their teachings are merely human rules.’[a](B)

You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”(C)

And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe[b] your own traditions!(D)

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 7:7 Isaiah 29:13
  2. Mark 7:9 Some manuscripts set up