Mark 7:8

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Having, dismissed, the commandment, of God, ye, hold fast, the tradition, of men.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
You have stopped following God's commands, preferring instead the man-made rules you got from others."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For ye laye the commaundement of God aparte and observe the tradicions of men as the wesshinge of cruses and of cuppes and many other suche lyke thinges ye do.

International Standard Version
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."

New American Standard Bible
"Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."

New Century Version
You have stopped following the commands of God, and you follow only human teachings."

Update Bible Version
You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.

Webster's Bible Translation
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Amplified Bible
"You disregard and neglect the commandment of God, and cling [faithfully] to the tradition of men."

English Standard Version
You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."

World English Bible
"For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For leaving the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Weymouth's New Testament
"You neglect God's Commandment: you hold fast to men's traditions."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For ye leeuen the maundement of God, and holden the tradiciouns of men, wasschyngis of watir vessels, and of cuppis; and many othir thingis lijk to these ye doon.

English Revised Version
Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.

Berean Standard Bible
You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men."

Contemporary English Version
You disobey God's commands in order to obey what humans have taught.

American Standard Version
Ye leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men.

Bible in Basic English
For, turning away from the law of God, you keep the rules of men.

Complete Jewish Bible
"You depart from God's command and hold onto human tradition.

Darby Translation
[For], leaving the commandment of God, ye hold what is delivered by men [to keep]—washings of vessels and cups, and many other such like things ye do.

Etheridge Translation
For you have abandoned the commandment of God and hold the tradition of men, as the baptisms of cups and measures, and many things like these.

Murdock Translation
For ye have forsaken the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men, the baptisms of cups, and of pots, and many things like these.

King James Version (1611)
For laying aside the Commandement of God, yee hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots, and cups: and many other such like things ye doe.

New Living Translation
For you ignore God's law and substitute your own tradition."

New Life Bible
You put away the Laws of God and obey the laws made by men."

New Revised Standard
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."

Geneva Bible (1587)
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.

George Lamsa Translation
For you have ignored the commandment of God, and you observe the tradition of men, such as the washing of cups and pots, and a great many other things like these.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For leaving the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the washing of pots and of cups: and many other things you do like to these.

Revised Standard Version
You leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For ye laye the commaundement of God apart, and obserue the tradition of me: as the wasshing of pottes & cuppes. And many other such like thinges ye do.

Good News Translation
"You put aside God's command and obey human teachings."

Christian Standard Bible®
Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.”

Hebrew Names Version
"For you set aside the mitzvah of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men -- the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things."

King James Version
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Lexham English Bible
Abandoning the commandment of God, you hold fast to the tradition of men."

Literal Translation
For forsaking the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men: immersings of utensils and cups, and many other such like things you do.

Young's Literal Translation
for, having put away the command of God, ye hold the tradition of men, baptisms of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Ye leaue the comaundement of God and kepe the tradicions of men, as the wasshynge of cruses and cuppes, & many soch thinges do ye.

Mace New Testament (1729)
for laying aside what is of divine appointment, you stick to their human traditions, about the washing of pots, and cups, and many other the like practices.

New English Translation
Having no regard for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition."

New King James Version
"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men [fn] --the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."

Simplified Cowboy Version
Y'all don't ride for God. You just make up stuff and say it came from him."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."

Legacy Standard Bible
Leaving the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men."

Contextual Overview

¹ And the Pharisees and certain of the Scribes who have come from Jerusalem gather themselves together unto him; ² and, observing certain of his disciples, that, with defiled hands, that is unwashed, they are eating bread, - - ³ For, the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless with care they wash their hands, eat not, holding fast the tradition of the elders; ⁴ and coming from market, unless they sprinkle themselves, they eat not, - and, many other things, there are, which they have accepted to hold fast - immersions of cups and measures and copper vessels - - ⁵ 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? ⁶ But, he, said unto them - Well, prophesied Isaiah concerning you, ye hypocrites, as it is written - This people, with the lips do honour me, while, their heart, far off, holdeth from me, - ⁷ But, in vain, do they pay devotions unto me, teaching for teachings, the commandments of men; ⁸ Having, dismissed, the commandment, of God, ye, hold fast, the tradition, of men. ⁹ And he was saying to them - Well, do ye set aside the commandment of God, that, your own tradition, ye may observe; ¹⁰ For, Moses, said - Honour thy father and thy mother, and - He that revileth father or mother, let him, surely die, -

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

laying: Isaiah 1:12

the tradition: Mark 7:3, Mark 7:4

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 7:29 - they Malachi 2:9 - but John 3:25 - about Romans 7:9 - without Hebrews 6:2 - the doctrine

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For laying aside the commandment of God,.... Meaning not any particular commandment, but all the commandments of God, the whole written law; to which they preferred the oral law, or the traditions of the elders, and the decisions of their doctors. So the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, "the commandments of God".

Ye hold the tradition of men: very significantly are the elders, whom the, Jews revered, and whose traditions and constitutions they extolled above the Scriptures, called "men", in distinction from "God", whose commands they neglected; which exposes and aggravates their sin, that they should leave the one, which had the stamp of divine authority on them, and hold the other, which were only the devices of men's brains;

as the washing of pots and cups. The Arabic version adds, "and vessels", from Mark 7:4, and the Ethiopic version, between "chalices" and "cups", places "monies"; as if they also contracted uncleanness in some cases, and needed washing: and indeed, there is a tradition to this purpose p,

"lopnv rnyd, "a penny which is rejected" (that is, as the commentators say q, which a kingdom or province has made void, or which wants weight), if any one prepares it to hang about the neck of a child, it is "unclean"; and so a "sela" (which was the value of four pence) and it is prepared to weigh with it, is "unclean".''

And many other such like things you do; so many, that it is almost endless to reckon up. The treatise "Celim", or "of vessels", in the Misna, is full of rules, concerning the cleanness and uncleanness, of almost all things in use with men; and so of what do, and what do not stand in need of washing. And these things they did, not according to the commandment of God, nor did they pretend to it; but according to the words of the Scribes, and traditions of the elders, which reached to all sorts of vessels: their rule is this r;

"vessels made of wood, and of skin, and of bone, and of glass, if they are plain, they are clean; but if they are hollow, (or made to hold things,) they are liable to pollution.''

Which Maimonides s explains thus;

"vessels of wood, and of skin, and of bone, if hollow, receive defilement from the words of the law; but if they are plain, as tables, a seat, a skin on which they eat, they do not receive defilement, but, מדברי סופרים, "from the words of the Scribes".''

And this washing of vessels, not only concerned such as were for private use, but the vessels of the sanctuary: so it is said t;

"after a feast, at the close of a good day, or festival, "they dip all the vessels in the sanctuary"; because the "common people" have "touched" them at the feast, in the time of keeping it: wherefore they say, touch not the table (the showbread table), when they show it to them that come up to the feast, that it may not be defiled by touching it; and if after the feast, it is found (polluted), it must be dipped and all the vessels are obliged to immersion, excepting the golden altar, and the altar of brass.''

So that our Lord might well say, "and many such like things ye do".

p Misn. Celim, c. 12. sect. 7. q Jarchi & Battenora in ib. r Misn. Celim, c. 2. sect. 1. s Hilch. Celim, c. 1. sect. 10. t Maimon. Hilch. Mishcab Umoshab, c. 11. sect. 11.

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 7:8. Washing of pots and cups, &c.] This whole clause is wanting in BL, five others, and the Coptic: one MS. omits this and the whole of the ninth verse. The eighth verse is not found in the parallel place of Matthew 15:7-9.