Mark 7:3 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews would not eat anything unless they first scrubbed their hands [i.e., up to the wrists] in accordance with the [long-established] tradition of the Jewish elders).

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

³ For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

³ For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat unless [merely for ceremonial reasons] they wash their hands [diligently up to the elbow] with clenched fist, adhering [carefully and faithfully] to the tradition of [practices and customs handed down to them by] their forefathers [to be observed].

American Standard Version (1901)

³ (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders;

Common English Bible

³ The Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat without first washing their hands carefully. This is a way of observing the rules handed down by the elders.

Catholic Public Domain Version

³ For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat without repeatedly washing their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

³ For the Pharisees, and all the Jews eat not without often washing their hands, holding the tradition of the ancients:

Mark 7:3 Cross References

Mark 7:13

You are making God’s message useless by [enforcing] the tradition you have been following. And you do many things like that.”

Mark 7:5

The Pharisees and experts in the Law of Moses asked Jesus, “Why do your disciples not live according to the traditions of the Jewish elders, but [instead] eat their food with contaminated [i.e., ceremonially unwashed] hands?”

Luke 11:38

And when the Pharisee observed this, he was surprised that Jesus had not first washed himself ceremonially before the meal.

John 2:6

Now there were six clay water jars there, used by the Jews for ceremonial washings [i.e., for hands, utensils, etc.]. Each one held from 17 to 26 gallons.

Galatians 1:14

I advanced in the Jewish religion beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen. I have been extremely more zealous in advocating the traditions [taught] by my forefathers.

Colossians 2:8

Pay attention so that no one takes you [spiritually] captive through his philosophy and empty deception based on human tradition, according to the principles of the world and not according to Christ.

1 Peter 1:18

You [should] know that you were bought back [from Satan], from your useless way of life, inherited from your forefathers, not with such perishable things as silver and gold,