Mark 7 · Verse 2

Mark 7:2

And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
Mark 7:2, King James Version

Mark 7:2 in other translations

BSBand they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed.
WEBNow when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is unwashed, hands, they found fault.
ASVand had seen that some of his disciples ate their bread with defiled, that is, unwashen, hands.
YLTand having seen certain of his disciples with defiled hands--that is, unwashed--eating bread, they found fault;
DARBYand seeing some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, unwashed, hands,
BBEAnd had seen that some of his disciples took their bread with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
WebsterAnd when they saw some of his disciples eating bread with defiled (that is to say with unwashed) hands, they found fault.

What does Mark 7:2 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. Defiled hands. The hands were considered defiled, or polluted, unless they were washed previous to every meal.

(2) "defiled" or, "common"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 They found fault - This is wanting in ABEHLV, nineteen others, and several versions: Mill and Bengel approve the omission, and Griesbach rejects the word. If the 3d and 4th verses be read in a parenthesis, the 2d and 5th verses will appear to be properly connected, without the above clause.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 7:1-13

One great design of Christ's coming was, to set aside the ceremonial law; and to make way for this, he rejects the ceremonies men added to the law of God's making. Those clean hands and that pure heart which Christ bestows on his disciples, and requires of them, are very different from the outward and superstitious forms of Pharisees of every age. Jesus reproves them for rejecting the commandment of God. It is clear…

Read the full comment on Mark 7:1-13 →

Mark 7:2 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ἰδόντεςidontesthey had seenG1492
τινὰςtinassomeG5100
τῶνtōnof theG3588
μαθητῶνmathētōndisciplesG3101
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
κοιναῖςkoinaiswith defiledG2839
χερσίν,chersinhands,G5495
τοῦτ᾽tout᾽ThatG3778
ἔστινestinisG1510
ἀνίπτοις,aniptoisunwashed,G449
ἐσθίουσινesthiousinare eatingG2068
ἄρτουςartousbreadG740
ἐμέμψαντο·emempsantothey found fault;G3201

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 7:2

  • Acts 10:28

    And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

  • Matthew 7:3-5

    And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

  • Romans 14:14

    I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

  • Acts 11:8

    But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth.

  • Acts 10:14-15

    But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

  • Daniel 6:4-5

    Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

  • Matthew 23:23-25

    Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
defiled. or, common.
Ac 10:14,15,28
they found.
Da 6:4,5; Mt 7:3-5; 23:23-25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 7:1

    Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

  • Mark 7:2

    And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

  • Mark 7:3

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

Read all of Mark 7

Mark 7:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Los cuales, viendo á algunos de sus discípulos comer pan con manos comunes, es á saber, no lavadas, los condenaban.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et voyant quelques-uns de ses disciples mangeant du pain avec des mains souillées, c’est-à-dire non lavées …;
German
Elberfelder 1871		und als sie etliche seiner Jünger mit unreinen, das ist ungewaschenen Händen Brot essen sahen,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et cum vidissent quosdam ex discipulis ejus communibus manibus, id est non lotis, manducare panes, vituperaverunt.