1 Some Pharisees and some teachers of the law came from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked,
2 "Why don't your disciples obey what the elders teach? Your disciples don't wash their hands before they eat!"
3 Jesus replied, "And why don't you obey God's command? You would rather follow your own teachings!
4 God said, 'Honor your father and mother.' (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16) He also said, 'If anyone calls down a curse on his father or mother, he will be put to death.' (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9)
5 But you allow people to say to their parents, 'Any help you might have received from us is a gift set apart for God.'
6 So they do not need to honor their parents with their gift. You make the word of God useless in order to follow your own teachings.
7 "You pretenders! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. He said,