Mark 7 · Verse 3

Mark 7:3

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
Mark 7:3, King James Version

Mark 7:3 in other translations

BSBNow in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.
WEB(For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.
ASV(For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders;
YLTfor 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,
DARBY(for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligently, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancients;
BBENow the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not take food without washing their hands with care, keeping the old rule which has been handed down to them:
WebsterFor the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

What does Mark 7:3 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 3. Except they wash their hands oft. The word oft means frequently, often. The word translated oft has been rendered various ways. Some have said that it means "up to the wrist;" unless they wash their hands up to the wrist. Others have said, "up to the elbow." There is evidence that the Pharisees had some such foolish rule as this about washing, and it is likely that they practised it faithfully, But the word probably means, diligently, accurately, carefully. Unless they wash their hands carefully, or according to rule, etc.

The tradition. What had been handed down, not what was delivered by writing in the law of Moses, but what had been communicated from father to son, as being proper and binding. The elders. The ancients, not the old men then living, but those who had lived formerly.

(1) "hands oft" or, "diligently" "Gr. with the fist" Theophylact, "up to the elbow"

(m) "tradition" Gal 1:14, Col 2:8,22,23

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Except they wash their hands - πυγμῃ, the hand to the wrist - Unless they wash the hand up to the wrist, eat not. Several translations are given of this word; that above is from Dr. Lightfoot, who quotes a tradition from the rabbins, stating that the hands were to be thus washed. This sort of washing was, and still continues to be, an act of religion in the eastern countries. It is particularly commanded in the Koran, Surat v. ver. 7, "O believers, when ye wish to pray, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows - and your feet up to the ankles." Which custom it is likely Mohammed borrowed from the Jews. The Jewish doctrine is this: "If a man neglect the washing, he shall be eradicated from this world." But instead of πυγμῃ, the fist or hand, the Codex Bezae has πυκνῃ, frequently: and several of the Itala have words of the same signification. Bathing is an indispensable prerequisite to the first meal of the day among the Hindoos; and washing the hands and the feet is equally so before the evening meal. Ward's Customs.

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 7:3 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.

οἱhoi<the>G3588
γὰρgarForG1063
ΦαρισαῖοιPharisaioithe PhariseesG5330
καὶkaiandG2532
πάντεςpantesallG3956
οἱhoitheG3588
ἸουδαῖοιIoudaioiJewsG2453
ἐὰνeanonlyG1437
μὴmēunlessG3361
πυγμῇpugmēawith a fistG4435
νίψωνταιnipsōntaithey shall washG3538
τὰςtastheG3588
χεῖρας,cheirashands,G5495
οὐκouknotG3756
ἐσθίουσινesthiousineatG2068
κρατοῦντεςkratountesholdingG2902
τὴνtēntheG3588
παράδοσινparadosintraditionG3862
τῶνtōnof theG3588
πρεσβυτέρων·presbuterōnelders;G4245

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

Cross references for Mark 7:3

  • 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.

  • Mark 7:13

    Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

  • Colossians 2:8

    Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

  • Colossians 2:21-23

    (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

  • Mark 7:7-10

    Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

  • 1 Peter 1:18

    Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

  • Matthew 15:2-6

    Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; …

  • Mark 7:5

    Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
oft. or, diligently. Gr. With the fist. Up to the elbow.Theophylact. [Pugme ,] the fist; which Dr. Lightfoot illustrates by a tradition from the Talmudical tracts, that when they washed their hands, they washed the fist up to the joint of the arm, [ad perek.] The Jews laid great stress on these washings, or baptisms, [baptismos ,] considering eating with unwashen hands no ordinary crime, and feigning that an evil spirit, called Shibta, has a right to sit on the food of him who thus eats, and render it hurtful.
the tradition.
7-10,13; Mt 15:2-6; Ga 1:14; Col 2:8,21-23; 1Pe 1:18

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Mark 7:4

    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.

Read all of Mark 7

Mark 7:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		(Porque los Fariseos y todos los Judíos, teniendo la tradición de los ancianos, si muchas veces no se lavan las manos, no comen.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		car les pharisiens et tous les Juifs ne mangent pas qu’ils ne lavent soigneusement leurs mains, retenant la tradition des anciens;
German
Elberfelder 1871		denn die Pharisäer und alle Juden essen nicht, es sei denn, daß sie sich sorgfältig die Hände waschen, indem sie die Überlieferung der Ältesten halten;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Pharisæi enim, et omnes Judæi, nisi crebro laverint manus, non manducant, tenentes traditionem seniorum: