Mark 7:2-4

² and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 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] )

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Other Translations of Mark 7:2-4

King James Version

² And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, defiled: or, common that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. ³ For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, oft: or, diligently: in the original, with the fist: Theophylact, up to the elbow eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 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

² they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. ³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they washGreek unless they wash with a fist, probably indicating a kind of ceremonial washing their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders, 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

² They noticed that some of his disciples weren't being careful with ritual washings before meals. ³ The Pharisees - Jews in general, in fact - would never eat a meal without going through the motions of a ritual hand-washing, 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

² Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. ³ 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. 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

² They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. ³ (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions. 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 7:2-4

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.