Mark 7:4

Mark 7:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.
• New International Version (NIV)When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.)
• New King James Version (NKJV)When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

Context of Mark 7:4

2and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed. 3Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining. 5So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.” 6Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

Mark 7:4 word by word

καὶ ἀπ᾽ ἀγορᾶς ἐὰν μὴ βαπτίσωνται, οὐκ ἐσθίουσιν· καὶ ἄλλα πολλά ἐστιν ἃ παρέλαβον κρατεῖν, βαπτισμοὺς ποτηρίων καὶ ξεστῶν καὶ χαλκίων καὶ κλινῶν.¶Read the interlinear

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the marketἀγοράagora · marketplaceG58
• they do not eatοὐou · noG3756
• they do not eatἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
• unlessἐάνean · ifG1437
• unlessμήmē · notG3361
• they washβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
• there areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• otherἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
• traditions for themπαραλαμβάνωparalambanō · to takeG3880
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• to observeκρατέωkrateō · to grasp/seizeG2902
• the washingβαπτισμόςbaptismos · baptismG909
• of cupsποτήριονpotērion · cupG4221
• pitchersξέστηςxestēs · pitcherG3582
• kettlesχαλκίονchalkion · kettleG5473
• couches for diningκλίνηklinē · bedG2825

Cross-references for Mark 7:4

• Job 9:30If I should wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
• Psalms 26:6I wash my hands in innocence that I may go about Your altar, O LORD,
• Isaiah 1:16Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
• Jeremiah 4:14Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?
• Matthew 27:24When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”
• Luke 11:38But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
• John 2:6Now six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification. Each could hold from twenty to thirty gallons.
• John 3:25Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing.
• Hebrews 9:10They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.
• James 4:8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
• 1 John 1:7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Commentaries on Mark 7:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4And when they come - This clause is added by our translators, to fill up the sense; but it was probably a part of the original: for is the reading of the Codex Bezae, Vulgate, Armenian, and most of the Itala. The clause in my old MS. Bible is read thus: And thei turninge agein fro chepinge. The words seem essentially necessary to a proper understanding of the text; and, if not admitted on the above authority, they must be supplied in italics, as in our…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 7:4

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

In the dictionaries

• Ablution
• Abundance
• Banquet
• Covetousness
• Hold
• String
• Tables
• Washing
• Baptism (lutheran Doctrine)
• Baptism (non-Immersionist View)

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