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They said, ‘Our leaders in past times taught us the right way to do everything. But your disciples do not obey the things that our leaders taught us. They do not wash their hands in the right way before they eat a meal. Why is that?’

Jesus replied, ‘God tells us the right way to obey him. But you refuse. Instead, you like to keep your own ideas. God's Law says: “You must love your father and mother and obey them.” God also said, “A person should die if he says bad things against his father or against his mother.”

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“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”(A)

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’[a](B) and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’[b](C)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:4 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16
  2. Matthew 15:4 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9