Mark 7:3

Geneva Bible

(For the Pharises, and all the Iewes, except they wash their hands oft, eate not, holding the tradition of the Elders.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The Pharisees and all the other Jews never eat before washing their hands in this special way. They do this to follow the traditions they have from their great leaders who lived long ago.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For the pharises and all the Iewes excepte they washe their hondes ofte eate not observinge the tradicions of the elders.

International Standard Version
(For the Pharisees and indeed all the Jewish people don't eat unless they wash their hands properly,with a fist">[fn] following the tradition of their elders.

New American Standard Bible
(For the Pharisees and all the other Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thereby holding firmly to the tradition of the elders;

New Century Version
(The Pharisees and all the Jews never eat before washing their hands in the way required by their unwritten laws.

Update Bible Version
-For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently, don't eat, holding the tradition of the elders;

Webster's Bible Translation
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands often eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

Amplified Bible
(For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, holding firmly to the traditions of the elders;

English Standard Version
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders,

World English Bible
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, don't eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now the Pharisees and all the Jews, except they wash their hands to the wrist, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

Weymouth's New Testament
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews--being, as they are, zealous for the traditions of the Elders--never eat without first carefully washing their hands,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Farisees and alle the Jewis eten not, but thei waisschen ofte her hoondis, holdynge the tradiciouns of eldere men.

English Revised Version
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders:

Berean Standard Bible
Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.

Contemporary English Version
The Pharisees and many other Jewish people obey the teachings of their ancestors. They always wash their hands in the proper way before eating.

American Standard Version
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders;

Bible in Basic English
Now the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not take food without washing their hands with care, keeping the old rule which has been handed down to them:

Complete Jewish Bible
(For the P'rushim, and indeed all the Judeans, holding fast to the Tradition of the Elders, do not eat unless they have given their hands a ceremonial washing.

Darby Translation
(for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligently, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancients;

Etheridge Translation
For all the Jihudoyee and Pharishee, unless they carefully wash their hands, do not eat, because they hold the tradition of the elders;

Murdock Translation
For all the Jews and the Pharisees, unless they carefully wash their hands do not eat; because they hold fast the tradition of the Elders.

King James Version (1611)
For the Pharises and all the Iewes, except they wash their hands oft, eate not, holding the tradition of the elders.

New Living Translation
(The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions.

New Life Bible
The proud religious law-keepers and all the Jews never eat until they wash their hands. They keep the teaching that was given to them by their early fathers.

New Revised Standard
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders;

George Lamsa Translation
For all the Jews, even the Pharisees, unless their hands are washed carefully would not eat, because they strictly observe the tradition of the elders.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless with care they wash their hands, eat not, holding fast the tradition of the elders;

Douay-Rheims Bible
For the Pharisees and all the Jews eat not without often washing their hands, holding the tradition of the ancients.

Revised Standard Version
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, observing the tradition of the elders;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For the pharisees and all the Iewes, except they wasshe their handes oft, eate not, obseruing the traditions of ye elders.

Good News Translation
(For the Pharisees, as well as the rest of the Jews, follow the teaching they received from their ancestors: they do not eat unless they wash their hands in the proper way;

Christian Standard Bible®
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, keeping the tradition of the elders.

Hebrew Names Version
(For the Perushim, and all the Yehudim, don't eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the Zakenim.

King James Version
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

Lexham English Bible
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands ritually, thus holding fast to the traditions of the elders.

Literal Translation
For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash the hands with the fist, holding the tradition of the elders.

Young's Literal Translation
for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, if they do not wash the hands to the wrist, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For the Pharises & all the Iewes eate not, excepte they wash their handes oft tymes: obseruynge so the tradicions of the elders.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for the Pharisees, and the Jews in general, in pursuance of their antient traditions, never eat till they have wash'd their hands up to their elbows.

New English Translation
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing, holding fast to the tradition of the elders.

New King James Version
For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.

Simplified Cowboy Version
(it was a religious rule they had made up).

New American Standard Bible (1995)
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders;

Legacy Standard Bible
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders;

Contextual Overview

¹ Then gathered vnto him the Pharises, and certaine of the Scribes which came from Hierusalem. ² And when they sawe some of his disciples eate meate with common hands, (that is to say, vnwashen) they complained. ³ (For the Pharises, and all the Iewes, except they wash their hands oft, eate not, holding the tradition of the Elders. ⁴ And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eate not: and many other things there be, which they haue taken vpon them to obserue, as the washing of cups, and pots, and of brasen vessels, and of beds.) ⁵ Then asked him the Pharises and Scribes, Why walke not thy disciples according to the tradition of the Elders, but eate meate with vnwashen hands? ⁶ Then hee answered and sayd vnto them, Surely Esay hath prophecied well of you, hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth mee with lippes, but their heart is farre away from me. ⁷ But they worship me in vaine, teaching for doctrines the commandements of men. ⁸ For ye lay the commaundement of God apart, and obserue the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and of cups, and many other such like things ye doe. ⁹ And he sayd vnto them, Well, ye reiect the commandement of God, that ye may obserue your owne tradition. ¹⁰ For Moses sayd, Honour thy father and thy mother: and Whosoeuer shall speake euill of father or mother, let him die the death.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

oft: or, diligently, Gr. With the fist, Up to the elbow, Theophylact. ץדלח [Strong's G4435], the fist; which Dr. Lightfoot illustrates by a tradition from the Talmudical tracts, that when they washed their hands, they washed the fist up to the joint of the arm, עד פרק. The Jews laid great stress on these washings, or baptisms, גבנפיףלןץע [Strong's G909], considering eating with unwashen hands no ordinary crime, and feigning that an evil spirit, called Shibta, has a right to sit on the food of him who thus eats, and render it hurtful.

the tradition: Mark 7:7-10, Mark 7:13, Matthew 15:2-6, Galatians 1:14, Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:21-23, 1 Peter 1:18

Reciprocal: Matthew 3:7 - the Pharisees Matthew 15:20 - but Mark 1:22 - as the Mark 7:8 - the tradition Luke 5:30 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews,.... The far greater part of them; all, excepting the Sadducees; and especially the Pharisees, were very tenacious of this tradition of washing hands before eating: hence Pharisees are described as such, בטהרה

אוכלי חוליהן, "that eat their common food with cleanness" n, i.e. of hands: these,

except they wash their hands oft, eat not; or except they wash very cautiously, with great care, diligence, and exactness, as the Syriac version suggests; and about which there are various rules given, to be observed with great strictness o. Some render the words, "they wash their hands to the elbow"; and this is a rule with the Jews, which is closely to be abode by, that the washing of hands is to be,

עד פרק, "to the joint", which joins the hand and arm together p: particularly it is observed q, that

"washing of the hands for the eating of the offering, is unto the elbow, and for common food, to the joints of the fingers: he that eats with an ancient man, and does not wash his hands to the elbow, he may not eat with him.''

Well may it be added,

holding the tradition of the elders; nor do the Jews pretend the authority of the Scriptures as obliging them to such rules; for, they say, the command concerning washing of hands is, מדברי סופרים, "from the words of the Scribes" r; and is מצות חכמים, "a command of the wise men" s. The tradition is this:

"they wash hands for common food, but for the tithe, and for the first offering, and for that which is holy, they dip them, and for the sin offering; for if the hands are defiled; the body is defiled t.''

And this tradition of the elders, the Scribes, and Pharisees, strictly observed.

n Gloss in T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 18. 2. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Chagiga, c. 2. sect. 7. o Vid. Maimon. Hilch. Bcracot, c. 6. p T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 106. 1, 2. Maimon. Hilch. Beracot, c. 6. 4. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Eracin, c. 5. sect. 1. Zohar in Deut. fol. 115. 2. q T. Hieros. Betacot, fol. 12. 1. r Maimon. Hilch. Mikvaot, c. 11. sect. 1. s Ib. Beracot, c. 6. sect. 2. t Misn. Chagiga, c. 2. sect. 5.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 15:1-20.

Mark 7:1

Came from Jerusalem - Probably to observe his conduct, and to find matter of accusation against him.

Mark 7:2

Defiled hands - The hands were considered defiled or polluted unless they were washed previous to every meal.

Mark 7:3

Except they wash their hands oft - Our word “oft” means frequently, often. The Greek wore translated oft has been rendered various ways. Some have said that it means “up to the wrist” - unless they wash their hands up to the wrist. Others have said up to the elbow.” There is evidence that the Pharisees had some such foolish rule as this about washing, and it is likely that they practiced it faithfully. But the Greek Word πυγμή pugmē - means properly the “fist,” and the meaning here is, “Unless they wash their hands (rubbing them) with the fist” - that is, not merely dipping the finger or hands in water as a sign of ablution, but rubbing the hands together as a ball or fist, in the usual Oriental manner when water is poured over them. Hence, the phrase comes to mean “diligently, carefully, sedulously.” - Robinson, Lexicon. The idea is, unless they pay the utmost attention to it, and do it carefully and according to rule.

The tradition - What had been handed down; not what was delivered “by writing” in the law of Moses, but what had been communicated from father to son as being proper and binding.

The elders - The ancients; not the old men “then living,” but those who had lived formerly.

Mark 7:4

Market - This word means either the place where provisions were sold, or the place where men were convened for any purpose. Here it probably means the former.

Except they wash - In the original, “Except they baptize.” In this place it does not mean to immerse the whole body, but only the hands. There is no evidence that the Jews washed their “whole bodies” every time they came from market. It is probable that they often washed with the use of a very small quantity of water.

The washing of cups - In the Greek, “the baptism of cups.”

Cups - drinking vessels. Those used at their meals.

Pots - Measures of “liquids.” Vessels made of wood, used to hold wine, vinegar, etc.

brazen vessels - Vessels made of brass, used in cooking or otherwise. These, if much polluted, were commonly passed through the fire: if slightly polluted they were washed. Earthen vessels, if defiled, were usually broken.

Tables - This word means, in the original, “beds or couches.” It refers not to the “tables” on which they ate, but to the “couches” on which they reclined at their meals. See the notes at Matthew 23:6. These were supposed to be defiled when any unclean or polluted person had reclined on them, and they deemed it necessary to purify them with water. The word “baptism” is here used - in the original, “the baptism of tables;” but, since it cannot be supposed that “couches” were entirely “immersed” in water, the word “baptism” here must denote some other application of water, by sprinkling or otherwise, and shows that the term is used in the sense of washing in any way. If the word is used here, as is clear it is, to denote anything except entire immersion, it may be elsewhere, and baptism is lawfully performed, therefore, without immersing the whole body in water.

Mark 7:7

For doctrines - For commands of God binding on the conscience. Imposing “your” traditions as equal in authority to the laws of God.

Mark 7:8

Laying aside - Rejecting, or making, it give place to traditions; considering the traditions as superior in authority to the divine law. This was the uniform doctrine of the Pharisees. See the notes at Matthew 15:1-9.

The tradition of men - What has been handed down by human beings, or what rests solely on their authority.

Mark 7:9

Full well - These words are capable of different interpretations. Some read them as a question: “Do ye do well in rejecting?” etc. Others suppose they mean “skillfully, cunningly.” “You show great cunning or art, in laying aside God’s commands and substituting in their place those of men.” Others suppose them to be ironical. “How nobly you act! From conscientious attachment to your traditions you have made void the law of God;” meaning to intimate by it that they had acted wickedly and basely.

Mark 7:17

The parable - The “obscure” and difficult remarks which he had made in Mark 7:15. The word “parable,” here, means “obscure” and “difficult saying.” They could not understand it. They had probably imbibed many of the popular notions of the Pharisees, and they could not understand why a man was not defiled by external things. It was, moreover, a doctrine of the law that men were ceremonially polluted by contact with dead bodies, etc., and they could not understand how it could be otherwise.

Mark 7:18

Cannot defile him - Cannot render his “soul” polluted; cannot make him a “sinner” so as to need this purifying as a “religious” observance.

Mark 7:19

Entereth not into his heart - Does not reach or affect the “mind,” the “soul,” and consequently cannot pollute it. Even if it should affect the “body,” yet it cannot the “soul,” and consequently cannot need to be cleansed by a religious ordinance. The notions of the Pharisees, therefore, are not founded in reason, but are mere “superstition.”

The draught - The sink, the vault. “Purging all meats.” The word “purging,” here, means to purify, to cleanse. What is thrown out of the body is the innutritious part of the food taken into the stomach, and leaving only that which is proper for the support of life; and it cannot, therefore, defile the soul.

All meals - All food; all that is taken into the body to support life. The meaning is, that the economy or process by which life is supported “purifies” or “renders nutritious” all kinds of food. The unwholesome or innutritious parts are separated, and the wholesome only are taken into the system. This agrees with all that has since been discovered of the process of digestion and of the support of life. The food taken into the stomach is by the gastric juice converted into a thick pulp called chyme. The nutritious part of this is conveyed into small vessels, and changed into a milky substance called “chyle.” This is poured by the thoracic duct into the left subclavian vein and mingles with the blood, and conveys nutriment and support to all parts of the system. The useless parts of the food are thrown off.

Mark 7:20

Hat which cometh out of the man - His words; the expression of his thoughts and feelings; his conduct, as the development of inward malice, anger, covetousness, lust, etc.

Defileth the man - Makes him really polluted or offensive in the sight of God. This renders the soul corrupt and abominable in his sight. See Matthew 15:18-20.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Mark 7:3. Except they wash their hands — πυγμη, the hand to the wrist-Unless they wash the hand up to the wrist, eat not. Several translations are given of this word; that above is from Dr. Lightfoot, who quotes a tradition from the rabbins, stating that the hands were to be thus washed. This sort of washing was, and still continues to be, an act of religion in the eastern countries. It is particularly commanded in the Koran, Surat v. ver. 7, "O believers, when ye wish to pray, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows - and your feet up to the ankles." Which custom it is likely Mohammed borrowed from the Jews. The Jewish doctrine is this: "If a man neglect the washing, he shall be eradicated from this world." But instead of πυγμη, the fist or hand, the Codex Bezae has πυκνη, frequently: and several of the Itala have words of the same signification. Bathing is an indispensable prerequisite to the first meal of the day among the Hindoos; and washing the hands and the feet is equally so before the evening meal. WARD'S Customs.