New International Version
Mark 7:4
4When 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.)
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.
- 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.
- 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
2and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 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.) 5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” 6He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are 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 9:30Even if I washed myself with soap and my hands with cleansing powder,
- Psalms 26:6I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, Lord,
- Isaiah 1:16Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.
- Jeremiah 4:14Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?
- Matthew 27:24When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
- Luke 11:38But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
- John 2:6Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
- John 3:25An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.
- Hebrews 9:10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
- James 4:8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash 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, purifies 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
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