Matthew 15:3

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?

BSB

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4 additional translations

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KJV

But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

ASV

And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

YLT

And he answering said to them, `Wherefore also do ye transgress the command of God because of your tradition?

DBT

But he answering said to them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment ofGod on account of your traditional teaching?

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On this verse

(V. 3.) But he, answering, said to them: Why do you also transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? He refutes false slander with a true response. For, he says, you disregard the precepts of the Lord for the sake of human tradition, why do you think that my disciples should be accused, because they disregard the commands of the elders, in order to maintain the knowledge of God?

Jerome· Commentary on Matthew, 420patristic

Related commentary

But he answered and said unto them,....

John Gill· Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748)reformed

Why do ye - transgress the commandment - Ye accuse my disciples of transgressing the traditions of the elders - I accuse you of transgressing the commands of God, and that too in favor of your own tradition; thus preferring the inventions of men to the positive precepts of God. Pretenders to zeal often prefer superstitious usages to the Divine law, and human inventions to the positive duties of Christianity.

Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible, 1832evangelical

But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?--The charge is retorted with startling power: "The tradition they transgress is but man's, and is itself the occasion of heavy transgression, undermining the authority of God's law."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871reformed

They wash not their hands when they eat bread - Food in general is termed bread in Hebrew; so that to eat bread is the same as to make a meal.

John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament, 1755evangelical

You transgress the commandment of God. Note, Those who are most zealous of their own impositions, are commonly most careless of God's commands; which is a good reason why Christ's disciples should stand upon their guard against such impositions, lest, though at first they seem only to infringe the liberty of Christians, they come at length to confront the authority of Christ.

Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan

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Cross-references

13 linked verses

The verses this one reaches12

Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.
Colossians 2:23
Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Mark 7:9
He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.
Titus 1:14
and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
Mark 7:6–8
Jesus 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.
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
Matthew 5:19
So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Mark 7:13
Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
Matthew 7:3–5
Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?
Exodus 21:17
Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.
Colossians 2:22
These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.

1 more linked verses are grouped by book below ↓

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The quotation web

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More cross-references1 further linked verses, grouped by book▾ open

Every other verse the study tradition links to this one, in the Bible’s own order. The first links in each book carry a line of their text; every reference opens its full verse page.

2 Peter1

2 Peter 3:16He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters.…

Cross-references are drawn from classic Bible study tools and open, shareable Bible data.

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first — the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Colossians 2:8
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
leads to
- Galatians 4:9
  But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- 1 Timothy 6:20
  O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”
- Ephesians 5:6
  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
- Matthew 7:15
  Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18–19
  Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
Through
Colossians 2:23
Such restrictions indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-prescribed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body; but they are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
leads to
- Colossians 2:22
  These will all perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Mark 7:13
Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”
leads to
- Mark 7:9
  He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.
Through
Titus 1:14
and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of men who have rejected the truth.
leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:4
  So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

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Matthew 15:3

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