Mark 7:5

Geneva Bible

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?

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The Pharisees and teachers of the law said to Jesus, "Your followers don't follow the traditions we have from our great leaders who lived long ago. They eat their food with hands that are not clean. Why do they do this?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then axed him the pharises and sribes why walke not thy disciples accordinge to ye tradicions of the elders but eate breede with vnweshen hondes?

International Standard Version
So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus,him">[fn] "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eateat bread">[fn] with unclean hands."Matthew 15:2;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk in accordance with the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unholy hands?"

New Century Version
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law said to Jesus, "Why don't your followers obey the unwritten laws which have been handed down to us? Why do your followers eat their food with hands that are not clean?"

Update Bible Version
And the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why don't your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with defiled hands?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?

Amplified Bible
So the Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus, "Why do Your disciples not live their lives according to the tradition of the elders, but [instead] eat their bread with [ceremonially] unwashed hands?"

English Standard Version
And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"

World English Bible
The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then the Pharisees ask him, Why walk not thy disciples, according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with defiled hands?

Weymouth's New Testament
So the Pharisees and Scribes put the question to Him: "Why do your disciples transgress the traditions of the Elders, and eat their food with unclean hands?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Farisees and scribis axiden hym, and seiden, Whi gon not thi disciplis aftir the tradicioun of eldere men, but with vnwasschen hondis thei eten breed?

English Revised Version
And the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with defiled hands?

Berean Standard Bible
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands."

Contemporary English Version
The Pharisees and teachers asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples obey what our ancestors taught us to do? Why do they eat without washing their hands?"

American Standard Version
And the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with defiled hands?

Bible in Basic English
And the Pharisees and the scribes put the question to him, Why do your disciples not keep the rules of the fathers, but take their bread with unwashed hands?

Complete Jewish Bible
The P'rushim and the Torah-teachers asked him, "Why don't your talmidim live in accordance with the Tradition of the Elders, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?"

Darby Translation
then the Pharisees and the scribes ask him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to what has been delivered by the ancients, but eat the bread with defiled hands?

Etheridge Translation
And the Sophree and Pharishee questioned him, Why do not your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders; but, while their hands are not washed, eat bread ?

Murdock Translation
And the Scribes and Pharisees asked him: Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the Elders, but eat bread with their hands unwashed?

King James Version (1611)
Then the Pharises and Scribes asked him, Why walke not thy disciples according to the tradition of the Elders, but eate bread with vnwashen hands?

New Living Translation
So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, "Why don't your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony."

New Life Bible
Then the proud religious law-keepers and the teachers of the Law asked Jesus, "Why do Your followers not obey the teaching given to them by their early fathers? They eat bread without washing their hands."

New Revised Standard
So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"

George Lamsa Translation
And the scribes and Pharisees asked him, Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with their hands unwashed?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and so the Pharisees and the Scribes, question, him - For what cause do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but, with defiled hands, eat bread?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Pharisees and scribes asked him: Why do not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the ancients, but they eat bread with common hands?

Revised Standard Version
And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with hands defiled?"

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then asked hym the pharisees and scribes: Why walke not thy disciples accordyng to the traditio of the elders, but eate bread with vnwasshen handes?

Good News Translation
So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked Jesus, "Why is it that your disciples do not follow the teaching handed down by our ancestors, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?"

Christian Standard Bible®
So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders, instead of eating bread with ceremonially unclean hands?”

Hebrew Names Version
The Perushim and the Sofrim asked him, "Why don't your talmidim walk according to the tradition of the Zakenim, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?"

King James Version
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

Lexham English Bible
And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unclean hands?"

Literal Translation
Then the Pharisees and scribes questioned Him, Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?

Young's Literal Translation
Then question him do the Pharisees and the scribes, `Wherefore do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but with unwashed hands do eat the bread?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then the Pharises and scrybes axed him: Why walke not thy disciples after the tradicions of the elders, but eate bred with vnwasshen handes?

Mace New Testament (1729)
the Pharisees, and Scribes therefore ask'd Jesus, why don't your disciples observe the tradition of the antients? why do they take their meals without washing their hands?

THE MESSAGE
The Pharisees and religion scholars asked, "Why do your disciples flout the rules, showing up at meals without washing their hands?"

New English Translation
The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed hands?"

New King James Version
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?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
All these uppity religious fellows asked him, "Why aren't your cowboys keeping the sacred traditions of old? They are eating without washing their hands."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?"

Legacy Standard Bible
And the Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with defiled hands?"

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

Mark 2:16-18, Matthew 15:2, Acts 21:21, Acts 21:24, Romans 4:12, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 2 Thessalonians 3:11

Reciprocal: Matthew 7:29 - and not

Cross-References

Genesis 6:22
Noah therefore did according vnto all, that God commanded him: euen so did he.

Exodus 39:32
Thus was all the worke of the Tabernacle, euen of the Tabernacle of the Congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to al that the Lord had commanded Moses: so dyd they.

Exodus 40:16
So Moses did according to all that ye Lorde had commanded him: so did he.

Psalms 119:6
Then should I not be confounded, when I haue respect vnto all thy commandements.

Matthew 3:15
Then Iesus answering, saide to him, Let be nowe: for thus it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnes. So he suffered him.

Luke 8:21
But he answered, and sayd vnto them, My mother and my brethren are these which heare the worde of God, and doe it.

John 2:5
His mother saide vnto the seruants, Whatsoeuer he sayeth vnto you, doe it.

John 13:17
If ye know these things, blessed are ye, if ye doe them.

Philippians 2:8
He humbled himselfe, and became obedient vnto the death, euen the death of the Crosse.

Hebrews 5:8
And though he were ye Sonne, yet learned he obedience, by the things which he suffered.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked him,.... Not the disciples, but Christ himself; for their chief view was to find fault, and quarrel with him:

why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashen hands? or "with common", that is, defiled "hands", as in Mark 7:2. So the words are read in Beza's most ancient copy, and in one of Stephens's copies, and in the Vulgate Latin version. The word "common" is used for that which is unclean or unholy, Acts 10:14, and so signifies unwashen hands, as we read, and render it: besides, "common hands" may have some respect to the hands of the common people, the vulgar and illiterate, who showed no regard to this tradition, but ate their common food without washing their hands. Instead of "the tradition of the elders", the Ethiopic version reads, "the constitution of the Scribes and Pharisees"; and which are sometimes by the Jews called,

דברי סופרים, "the words", or "sayings of the Scribes" o, and are preferred by them to the written law; and the same are commonly called הליכות, "ways", in which a man is to walk, and according to which he is to steer his course of life; and to which reference is here had in the word, "walk", used by the Pharisees; who suggest, that these decisions, constitutions, and traditions of the elders, were the rule, according to which men ought to order their manner of life and conversation; blaming the disciples, that they did not conform to them, and particularly in the case of eating bread, which they did without washing their hands, which was strictly enjoined among these canons; and they wanted to know the sense of Christ upon it. Though they might have known from the Scriptures, particularly from Ezekiel 20:18 that it was their duty, as well as the disciples of Christ, to walk, not in the, statutes of their fathers, nor observe their judgments, the laws and ordinances instituted by them; but to walk in the statutes of the Lord, and to keep his judgments, and do them: not the traditions of men, but the word of God, should be the rule of walk and conversation; and as many as walk according to this rule, peace will be upon them; but those that walk according to the commandments of men, justly deserve the character given of such by the prophet Isaiah, whose words our Lord produces in the following verses.

o T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 3. 2.

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 7:5. Why walk not thy disciples — See Clarke on Matthew 15:2-9.