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

1The Pharisees and some of the scribes gathered around Him when they had come from Jerusalem, 2and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders; 4and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.) 5The Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure 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

• For the PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• and allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
• do not eatἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
• unlessἐάνean · ifG1437
• unlessμήmē · notG3361
• carefullyπυγμήpugmē · fistG4435
• washνίπτωniptō · to washG3538
• their handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• observingκρατέωkrateō · to grasp/seizeG2902
• traditionsπαράδοσιςparadosis · traditionG3862
• of the eldersπρεσβύτεροςpresbuteros · elder (leader)G4245

Cross-references for Mark 7:3

• Mark 7:7But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’
• Matthew 15:2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”
• Galatians 1:14and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
• Colossians 2:8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,

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