English Standard Version
Mark 7:4
4and 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.)
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.)
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.)
Context of Mark 7:4
2they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 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.) 5And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" 6And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
Read all of Mark 7Mark 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the marketἀγοράagora · marketplaceG58
- exceptἐάνean · ifG1437
- exceptμήmē · notG3361
- they washβαπτίζωbaptizō · to baptizeG907
- they eatἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
- notοὐou · noG3756
- manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
- other thingsἄλλοςallos · anotherG243
- there beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- they have receivedπαραλαμβάνωparalambanō · to takeG3880
- to holdκρατέωkrateō · to grasp/seizeG2902
- the washingβαπτισμόςbaptismos · baptismG909
- of cupsποτήριονpotērion · cupG4221
- potsξέστηςxestēs · pitcherG3582
- brasen vesselsχαλκίονchalkion · kettleG5473
- of tablesκλίνηklinē · bedG2825
Cross-references for Mark 7:4
- Job 9:30If I wash myself with snow and cleanse my hands with lye,
- Psalms 26:6I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord,
- Isaiah 1:16Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
- Jeremiah 4:14O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?
- Matthew 27:24So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves."
- Luke 11:38The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner.
- John 2:6Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
- John 3:25Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.
- Hebrews 9:10but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
- 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
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries