Mt 15:1-9

The Tradition of the Elders.* 1a Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2b “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?* They do not wash [their] hands when they eat a meal.” 3He said to them in reply, “And why do you break the commandment of God* for the sake of your tradition? 4c For God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever curses father or mother shall die.’ 5* But you say, ‘Whoever says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is dedicated to God,” 6need not honor his father.’ You have nullified the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said:

8d ‘This people honors me with their lips,*

but their hearts are far from me;

9e in vain do they worship me,

teaching as doctrines human precepts.’”