Matthew 15:1-9

Traditions and Commandments 1Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." 3He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' 5But you say, 'If anyone tells his father or his mother, "What you would have gained from me is given to God,"Or is an offering 6he need not honor his father.' So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the wordSome manuscripts law of God. 7You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

8'This people honors me with their lips,
   but their heart is far from me; 9in vain do they worship me,
   teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"