Matthew 15:1-20

About this time some Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses came from Jerusalem. They asked Jesus, “Why don't your disciples obey what our ancestors taught us to do? They don't even wash their hands before they eat.” Jesus answered: Why do you disobey God and follow your own teaching? Didn't God command you to respect your father and mother? Didn't he tell you to put to death all who curse their parents? But you let people get by without helping their parents when they should. You let them say that what they have has been offered to God. Is this any way to show respect to your parents? You ignore God's commands in order to follow your own teaching. And you are nothing but show-offs! Isaiah the prophet was right when he wrote that God had said, “All of you praise me with your words, but you never really think about me. It is useless for you to worship me, when you teach rules made up by humans.” Jesus called the crowd together and said, “Pay attention and try to understand what I mean. The food you put into your mouth doesn't make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean.” Then his disciples came over to him and asked, “Do you know you insulted the Pharisees by what you said?” Jesus answered, “Every plant that my Father in heaven did not plant will be pulled up by the roots. Stay away from those Pharisees! They are like blind people leading other blind people, and all of them will fall into a ditch.” Peter replied, “What did you mean when you talked about the things that make people unclean?” Jesus then said: Don't any of you know by now what I am talking about? Don't you know that the food you put into your mouth goes into your stomach and then out of your body? But the words that come out of your mouth come from your heart. And they are what make you unfit to worship God. Out of your heart come evil thoughts, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, vulgar deeds, stealing, telling lies, and insulting others. These are what make you unclean. Eating without washing your hands will not make you unfit to worship God.