“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”[a] So he answered and[b] said to them, “Why do you also break the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your[c] father and your[d] mother,’[e] and ‘The one who speaks evil of father or mother must certainly die[f].’[g]

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:2 Literally “bread”
  2. Matthew 15:3 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  3. Matthew 15:4 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  4. Matthew 15:4 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  5. Matthew 15:4 A quotation from Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16
  6. Matthew 15:4 Literally “let him die the death”
  7. Matthew 15:4 A quotation from Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9

“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