Matthew 15

¹Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem, saying,

²“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”

³He answered them, “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?

⁴For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’

⁵But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,”

⁶he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.

⁷You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

⁸‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

⁹And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’”

¹⁰He summoned the multitude, and said to them, “Hear, and understand.

¹¹That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

¹²Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

¹³But he answered, “Every plant which my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.