Mark 7:3

Mark 7:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
• New International Version (NIV)(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.
• English Standard Version (ESV)(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders,
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.

Context of Mark 7:3

1Now the Pharisees and some of the scribes came from Jerusalem and gathered around Him, 2and they had seen that some of His disciples ate their bread with [ceremonially] impure hands, that is, unwashed [and defiled according to Jewish religious ritual]. (For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, holding firmly to the traditions of the elders; 4and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves [completely according to ritual]; and there are many other things [oral, man-made laws and traditions handed down to them] which they follow diligently, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper utensils.) 5So the Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus, “Why do Your disciples not live their lives according to the tradition of the elders, but [instead] eat their bread with [ceremonially] unwashed hands?”

Mark 7:3 word by word

οἱ γὰρ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐὰν μὴ πυγμῇ νίψωνται τὰς χεῖρας, οὐκ ἐσθίουσιν κρατοῦντες τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• the Phariseesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• exceptἐάνean · ifG1437
• exceptμήmē · notG3361
• they washνίπτωniptō · to washG3538
• handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• oftπυγμήpugmē · fistG4435
• eatἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
• notοὐou · noG3756
• holdingκρατέωkrateō · to grasp/seizeG2902
• the traditionπαράδοσιςparadosis · traditionG3862
• of the eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245

Cross-references for Mark 7:3

• Mark 7:7They worship Me in vain [their worship is meaningless and worthless, a pretense], Teaching the precepts of men as doctrines [giving their traditions equal weight with the Scriptures].’
• Matthew 15:2“Why do Your disciples violate the tradition (religious laws) handed down by the [Jewish] elders? For Your disciples do not [ceremonially] wash their hands before they eat.”
• Galatians 1:14And [you have heard how] I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my countrymen in [my advanced study of the laws of] Judaism, as I was extremely loyal to the traditions of my ancestors.
• Colossians 2:8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception [pseudo-intellectual babble], according to the tradition [and musings] of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following [the truth—the teachings of] Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:18For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold,

Commentaries on Mark 7:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Except they wash their hands - ͅ, the hand to the wrist - Unless they wash the hand up to the wrist, eat not. Several translations are given of this word; that above is from Dr. Lightfoot, who quotes a tradition from the rabbins, stating that the hands were to be thus washed. This sort of washing was, and still continues to be, an act of religion in the eastern countries. It is particularly commanded in the Koran, Surat v. ver. 7, "O believers, when ye…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-23Verses 1-23 See this passage explained in the notes at 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4Mark explains the Pharisees’ practices of ritual cleansing (ceremonial washing for religious purity) for his non-Jewish (Gentile) audience. The traditions of the elders were not yet written down at that time. The Pharisees believed these teachings had been given to Moses on Mount Sinai along with the written law. These traditions were later written down around AD 200 in the Mishnah (a collection of Jewish teachings and laws). The Mishnah is one of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Mark 7:3

• Ablution
• Commandments
• Ecclesiasticism
• Government
• Hand
• Jesus, the Christ
• Pharisees
• Purification
• Tradition

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Covetousness
• Hold
• String
• Tradition
• Washing
• Ablution
• Basin; Bason
• Holding
• Holiness

Commentaries on Mark 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings