EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Matthew 15:2
2They said, ‘Our leaders in past times taught us the right way to do everything. But your disciples do not obey the things that our leaders taught us. They do not wash their hands in the right way before they eat a meal. Why is that?’
Matthew 15:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
- New International Version (NIV)“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”
Context of Matthew 15:2
1After that, a group of Pharisees and teachers of God's Law came from Jerusalem to talk to Jesus. They said, ‘Our leaders in past times taught us the right way to do everything. But your disciples do not obey the things that our leaders taught us. They do not wash their hands in the right way before they eat a meal. Why is that?’ 3Jesus replied, ‘God tells us the right way to obey him. But you refuse. Instead, you like to keep your own ideas. 4God's Law says: “You must love your father and mother and obey them.” God also said, “A person should die if he says bad things against his father or against his mother.”
Read all of Matthew 15Matthew 15:2 word by word
διὰ τί οἱ μαθηταί σου παραβαίνουσιν τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων; οὐ γὰρ νίπτονται τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ὅταν ἄρτον ἐσθίωσιν.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- ·διάdia · through/because ofG1223
- Whyτίςtis · which?G5101
- doπαραβαίνωparabainō · to transgressG3845
- thyσύsu · youG4771
- disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
- the traditionπαράδοσιςparadosis · traditionG3862
- of the eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- they washνίπτωniptō · to washG3538
- notοὐou · noG3756
- theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- handsχείρcheir · handG5495
- whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
- they eatἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
- breadἄρτοςartos · breadG740
Cross-references for Matthew 15:2
- Mark 7:2They had been watching Jesus' disciples. Some of the disciples did not wash their hands before they ate a meal. That is to say, they did not wash them in the right way.
- Genesis 1:14God said, ‘There will be lights all across the sky. They will make the day different from the night. They will show the seasons, days and years.
- Colossians 2:8Be careful that you do not believe any false teachers. The ideas that they teach may seem clever. But they really want to deceive you. They are ideas that have come from the human minds of our ancestors. Or ideas that come from spirits that belong to this world. They are not the true message about Christ.
- 1 Peter 1:18Your ancestors lived in a way that did not make them really happy. That is the way that you learned to live as well. But now God has saved you from that way of life. You know that he has bought you for himself. He did not buy you with things that do not continue for ever, like silver or gold.
Commentaries on Matthew 15:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Elders - Rulers and magistrates among the Jews. For they wash not their hands - What frivolous nonsense! These Pharisees had nothing which their malice could fasten on in the conduct or doctrine of our blessed Lord and his disciples, and therefore they must dispute about washing of hands! All sorts of Pharisees are troublesome people in religious society; and the reason is, they take more pleasure in blaming others than in amending themselves. The…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-9Verses 1-9 See also Mark 7:1-9. Then came to Jesus - Mark says that they saw the disciples of Jesus eating with unwashed hands. Matthew 15:2 Transgress the tradition of the elders - The world “elders” literally means “old men.” Here it means the “ancients,” or their “ancestors.” The “tradition of the elders” meant something handed down from one to another by memory; some precept or custom not commanded in the written law, but which scribes and Pharisees…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Jewish teachers developed long-standing traditions to explain how the written Torah should guide daily life. These traditions were memorized and passed from teacher to student by word of mouth(see 1 Corinthians 11:23; 15:1–5). break the tradition of … wash their hands (see Mark 7:2–4; Luke 11:38): The tradition of hand washing was seen as important. Ignoring this practice was considered disobedience to the Torah and unfaithfulness to God’s will for Israel…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 15:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 15
- 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
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