Mark 7:3
New International Version
(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.

New Living Translation
(The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions.

English Standard Version
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders,

Berean Standard Bible
Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.

Berean Literal Bible
For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash the hands carefully, holding the tradition of the elders;

King James Bible
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
(For the Pharisees and all the other Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thereby holding firmly to the tradition of the elders;

NASB 1995
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders;

NASB 1977
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the traditions of the elders;

Legacy Standard Bible
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders;

Amplified Bible
(For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat unless they carefully wash their hands, holding firmly to the traditions of the elders;

Christian Standard Bible
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, keeping the tradition of the elders.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
(For the Pharisees, in fact all the Jews, will not eat unless they wash their hands ritually, keeping the tradition of the elders.

American Standard Version
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For all the Judeans and the Pharisees do not eat unless they wash their hands carefully because they keep the tradition of the Elders.

Contemporary English Version
The Pharisees and many others obey the teachings of their ancestors. They always wash their hands in the proper way before eating.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews eat not without often washing their hands, holding the tradition of the ancients:

English Revised Version
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
(The Pharisees, like all other Jewish people, don't eat unless they have properly washed their hands. They follow the traditions of their ancestors.

Good News Translation
For the Pharisees, as well as the rest of the Jews, follow the teaching they received from their ancestors: they do not eat unless they wash their hands in the proper way;

International Standard Version
(The Pharisees—and indeed all the Jewish people—don't eat unless they wash their hands properly, following the tradition of their elders.

Literal Standard Version
for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, if they do not wash the hands to the wrist, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders,

Majority Standard Bible
Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.

New American Bible
(For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully washing their hands, keeping the tradition of the elders.

NET Bible
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing, holding fast to the tradition of the elders.

New Revised Standard Version
(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders;

New Heart English Bible
(For the Pharisees, and all Jewish people, do not eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the Tradition of the Elders.

Webster's Bible Translation
For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

Weymouth New Testament


World English Bible
(For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.

Young's Literal Translation
for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, if they do not wash the hands to the wrist, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Tradition and Worship
2and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed. 3Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. 4And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.…

Cross References
Mark 7:5
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: "Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands."

Mark 7:8
You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men."

Mark 7:9
He went on to say, "You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.

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."

Luke 11:38
But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

John 2:6
Now six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification. Each could hold from twenty to thirty gallons.

Galatians 1:14
I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.


Treasury of Scripture

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

oft.

the tradition.

Mark 7:7-10,13
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men…

Matthew 15:2-6
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread…

Galatians 1:14
And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Jump to Previous
Ancients Care Carefully Ceremonial Delivered Diligently Eat Elders Except Food Hands Holding Jews Keeping Observing Oft Often Pharisees Rule Tradition Traditions Unless Wash Washing Wrist
Jump to Next
Ancients Care Carefully Ceremonial Delivered Diligently Eat Elders Except Food Hands Holding Jews Keeping Observing Oft Often Pharisees Rule Tradition Traditions Unless Wash Washing Wrist
Mark 7
1. The Pharisees find fault with the disciples for eating with unwashed hands.
8. They break the commandment of God by the traditions of men.
14. Food defiles not the man.
24. He heals the Syrophenician woman's daughter of an unclean spirit;
31. and one that was deaf, and stammered in his speech.














(3) For the Pharisees, and all the Jews.--For the sake of the same class of readers, St. Mark adds another explanatory note. The custom of which he speaks was not, he says, peculiar to the Pharisees as a sect; it had passed, through their influence, to the whole body of the people.

Oft.--The Greek MSS. present two readings, one of which this is the natural meaning; another, which means literally, "with the fist," and figuratively, "with might and main." The evidence is, on the whole, in favour of the former.

Verse 3. - Except they wash their hands oft. The Greek word here rendered "oft" is πυγμῇ: literally, with the fist, i.e. with the closed hand, rubbing one against the other. This word has caused a vast amount of criticism; and the difficulty of explaining it seems to have led to the adoption of a conjectural reading (πυκνῷς or πυκνῇ) rendered "oft;" crebro in the Vulgate. But the Syriac Peshito Version renders the Greek word by a word which means "diligently," and it is interesting and helpful, as a matter of exegesis, to know that it also renders the Greek word (ἐπιμελῶς) in Luke 15:8 by the same Syriac synonym, "diligently." The "clenched fist" implies vigor and resolution, and points to "diligence," and there are very high authorities in favor of this rendering, as, Epiphanius, Isaac Casaubon, and Cornelius a Lapide, to say nothing of our best modern expositors. It is also adopted in the Revised Version. Holding the tradition of the elders. The Pharisees pretended that this tradition had been orally delivered by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, and then transmitted orally down to their time. These oral precepts were afterwards embodied in the Talmud.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Now
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

in holding
κρατοῦντες (kratountes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2902: From kratos; to use strength, i.e. Seize or retain.

to the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

tradition
παράδοσιν (paradosin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3862: An instruction, tradition. From paradidomi; transmission, i.e. a precept; specially, the Jewish traditionary law.

of the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

elders,
πρεσβυτέρων (presbyterōn)
Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 4245: Comparative of presbus; older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist or Christian 'presbyter'.

the
Οἱ (Hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Pharisees
Φαρισαῖοι (Pharisaioi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5330: Of Hebrew origin; a separatist, i.e. Exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

all
πάντες (pantes)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

the
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jews
Ἰουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

{do} not
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

eat
ἐσθίουσιν (esthiousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2068: Strengthened for a primary edo; used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by phago; to eat.

until
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

they wash
νίψωνται (nipsōntai)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3538: To wash; mid. I wash my own (hands, etc.). To cleanse; ceremonially, to perform ablution.

[their]
τὰς (tas)
Article - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

hands
χεῖρας (cheiras)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 5495: A hand.

ceremonially.
πυγμῇ (pygmē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4435: The fist. From a primary pux; the clenched hand, i.e. with the fist.


Links
Mark 7:3 NIV
Mark 7:3 NLT
Mark 7:3 ESV
Mark 7:3 NASB
Mark 7:3 KJV

Mark 7:3 BibleApps.com
Mark 7:3 Biblia Paralela
Mark 7:3 Chinese Bible
Mark 7:3 French Bible
Mark 7:3 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: Mark 7:3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews (Mar Mk Mr)
Mark 7:2
Top of Page
Top of Page