Mark 7 (KJV) - Bible Truth Library

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.

Mark 7:7‑10,13• ⁷Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
⁸For 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.
⁹And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
¹⁰For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
¹³Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Mark 7:7‑10,13)

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Matt. 15:2‑6• ²Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
³But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
⁴For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
⁵But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
⁶And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. (Matt. 15:2‑6)

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Gal. 1:14• ¹⁴And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. (Gal. 1:14)

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Col. 2:8,21‑23• ⁸Beware 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.
²¹(Touch not; taste not; handle not;
²²Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
²³Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh. (Col. 2:8,21‑23)

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1 Peter 1:18• ¹⁸Forasmuch 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; (1 Peter 1:18)

• They washed cups and pots, but not their hearts. (“Mark 7” by J.N. Darby)

• Any rule invented by man for the government of Christians is a tradition, and of the worst kind, because it is thus made a thing of positive authority for faith and practice. (“Mark 7” by W. Kelly)

J. N. Darby Translation

(for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligentlyg, do not eat, holding what has been delivered by the ancientsh;

JND Translation Notes

Or "often." lit. "with the fist," a word of very uncertain and contested meaning.

Or "the tradition of the elders."

W. Kelly Translation

for the Pharisees and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands diligentlya, eat not, holding the tradition of the ancients.

WK Translation Notes

Or "frequently", "with vigour", or "with nicety." The mass of authority sustains this reading. Lit. "with the fist", or "up to the elbow."

WK Verse Note

(Note: Words in italics have been inserted from the J. N. Darby translation where the W. Kelly translation doesn’t exist.)