4 When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.[1] )

Other Translations of Mark 7:4

King James Version

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, pots: sextarius is about a pint and an half brasen vessels, and of tables.

English Standard Version

4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.Greek unless they baptize; some manuscripts unless they purify themselves And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.Some manuscripts omit and dining couches)

The Message

4 with an especially vigorous scrubbing if they had just come from the market (to say nothing of the scourings they'd give jugs and pots and pans).

New King James Version

4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.

New Living Translation

4 Similarly, they don't eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to-such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles. )

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 7:4

Commentary on Mark 7:1-13

(Read 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 that it is the duty of children, if their parents are poor, to relieve them as far as they are able; and if children deserve to die that curse their parents, much more those that starve them. But if a man conformed to the traditions of the Pharisees, they found a device to free him from the claim of this duty.