Mark 7:6
New International Version
He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

New Living Translation
Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

English Standard Version
And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

Berean Standard Bible
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

Berean Literal Bible
And He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly concerning you hypocrites, as it has been written: 'This people honors Me with the lips, but their heart is kept far away from Me;

King James Bible
He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

New King James Version
He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.

New American Standard Bible
But He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

NASB 1995
And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

NASB 1977
And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

Legacy Standard Bible
And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

Amplified Bible
He replied, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites (play-actors, pretenders), as it is written [in Scripture], ‘THESE PEOPLE HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME.

Christian Standard Bible
He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.

American Standard Version
And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus replied: You are nothing but show-offs! The prophet Isaiah was right when he wrote that God had said, "All of you praise me with your words, but you never really think about me.

English Revised Version
And he said unto them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, But their heart is far from me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites in Scripture: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Good News Translation
Jesus answered them, "How right Isaiah was when he prophesied about you! You are hypocrites, just as he wrote: 'These people, says God, honor me with their words, but their heart is really far away from me.

International Standard Version
He told them, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Majority Standard Bible
Jesus answered them, ?Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ?These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

NET Bible
He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

New Heart English Bible
He said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Webster's Bible Translation
He answered and said to them, Well hath Isaiah prophesied concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Weymouth New Testament
"Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites," He replied; "as it is written, "'This People honour Me with their lips, while their hearts are far away from Me:

World English Bible
He answered them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And He answering said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, hypocrites, as it has been written: This people honors Me with the lips, and their heart is far from Me;

Berean Literal Bible
And He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly concerning you hypocrites, as it has been written: 'This people honors Me with the lips, but their heart is kept far away from Me;

Young's Literal Translation
and he answering said to them -- 'Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, hypocrites, as it hath been written, This people with the lips doth honour Me, and their heart is far from Me;

Smith's Literal Translation
And he having answered, said to them, That Esaias prophesied well concerning you, as it has been written, This people honour me with lips, and their heart keeps far from me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But he answering, said to them: Well did Isaias prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But in response, he said to them: “So well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, just as it has been written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

New American Bible
He responded, “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me;

New Revised Standard Version
He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
He said to them, The prophet Isaiah well prophesied about you, O hypocrites, as it is written, This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But he said to them, “Isaiah the Prophet prophesied beautifully of you impostors, just as it is written: 'This people honors me with its lips, but their heart is very far from Me.'
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
He answered and said to them: "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Godbey New Testament
And responding He said to them, Beautifully did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as has been written, This people honor me with lips, but their heart is far from me.

Haweis New Testament
Then he answering said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, ?This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Mace New Testament
Jesus answered, to such hypocrites as you may well be applied those words of the prophet Esaias, "this people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Weymouth New Testament
"Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites," He replied; "as it is written, "'This People honour Me with their lips, while their hearts are far away from Me:

Worrell New Testament
And He said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it has been written, This people honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.

Worsley New Testament
But He answered them, Well did Esaias prophesy concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Tradition and Worship
5So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.” 6 Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 7They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’…

Cross References
Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.

Matthew 15:7-9
You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you: / ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

Ezekiel 33:31
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest gain.

Isaiah 1:11-15
“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. / When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? / Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. ...

Jeremiah 12:2
You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their hearts.

Matthew 23:27-28
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. / In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Romans 2:28-29
A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. / No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”

Psalm 78:36-37
But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues. / Their hearts were disloyal to Him, and they were unfaithful to His covenant.

Hosea 6:6
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? / Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? / He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 6:1-2
“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. / So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.

Luke 11:39-40
Then the Lord said, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. / You fools! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside as well?

John 4:23-24
But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. / God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

2 Timothy 3:5
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!


Treasury of Scripture

He answered and said to them, Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Well.

Isaiah 29:13
Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Matthew 15:7-9
Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, …

Acts 28:25
And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

hypocrites.

Matthew 23:13-15
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in…

Luke 11:39-44
And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness…

honoureth.

Ezekiel 33:31
And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

Hosea 8:2,3
Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee…

John 5:42
But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

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Mark 7
1. The Pharisees find fault with the disciples for eating with unwashed hands.
8. They break the commandment of God by the traditions of men.
14. Food defiles not the man.
24. He heals the Syrophenician woman's daughter of an unclean spirit;
31. and one that was deaf, and stammered in his speech.














Jesus answered them
The phrase "Jesus answered them" indicates a direct response from Jesus to the Pharisees and scribes. In the Greek, the word for "answered" (ἀποκριθεὶς) suggests a thoughtful and authoritative reply. Jesus, as the Son of God, speaks with divine authority, addressing the religious leaders who were questioning His disciples' practices. This sets the stage for a profound teaching moment, where Jesus challenges the superficial religiosity of the Pharisees.

Isaiah prophesied correctly
Here, Jesus references the prophet Isaiah, affirming the accuracy and divine inspiration of the Old Testament. The Greek word for "prophesied" (ἐπροφήτευσεν) implies speaking forth the mind and counsel of God. By invoking Isaiah, Jesus connects His critique of the Pharisees to a longstanding tradition of prophetic truth, emphasizing that their behavior was foreseen and condemned by God through His prophets.

about you hypocrites
The term "hypocrites" (ὑποκριταί) in Greek originally referred to actors who wore masks. Jesus uses it to describe the Pharisees' outward show of piety that masks their inner spiritual emptiness. This word choice highlights the disconnect between their external religious observance and their internal spiritual state, a theme that resonates throughout Jesus' teachings.

as it is written
This phrase underscores the authority of Scripture. The Greek (καθὼς γέγραπται) indicates something that has been permanently recorded. Jesus appeals to the written Word of God as the ultimate standard, reinforcing the idea that true faithfulness to God is measured by adherence to His Word, not human traditions.

These people honor Me with their lips
The phrase "honor Me with their lips" points to a superficial form of worship. The Greek word for "honor" (τιμῶσιν) suggests giving value or reverence. However, this honor is only verbal, lacking the sincerity and depth that true worship requires. It serves as a warning against empty rituals that do not reflect a genuine relationship with God.

but their hearts are far from Me
The contrast between "lips" and "hearts" is central to Jesus' critique. The heart (καρδία) in biblical terms represents the core of a person's being, including their will, emotions, and intellect. The phrase "are far from Me" (πόρρω ἀπέχει) indicates a significant spiritual distance. Despite their religious appearances, the Pharisees' hearts are not aligned with God's will, highlighting the importance of inner devotion over external conformity.

(6) Well hath Esaias prophesied.--Strictly, well did Esaias prophesy.

Verses 6, 7. - Our Lord quotes against them a prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 29:13), This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men. The prophet here gives the cause of the blindness of the Jews, because they honored God with their lips, while their heart was far from him; and their worship of him (for that is the meaning of "their fear") was the commandment of men, which they had been taught; that is, they worshipped God, not according to that spiritual worship which he had commanded, but after the traditions of men and of their own scribes, partly futile, partly perverse, and contrary to God's Law. So he says, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you. The word is καλῶς, "excellently - beautifully - did he prophesy concerning you (τῶν ὑποκριτῶν), the hypocrites." Not that the prophet had the hypocrites of our Saviour's time in his mind when he uttered these words, but that the Spirit of God which was within him enabled him to describe accurately the character of those who seven centuries afterwards would be doing the same things as their forefathers. And observe how they were punished. For as they gave a lip-service only to God, praising him with their mouth indeed, but giving their heart to vanity and the world; so God on his part would give them the words only - the shell, so to speak, the letter which killeth; but take away from them the kernel the spirit and the life, so that they might not lay hold of it nor taste it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Jesus answered
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

them,
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“Isaiah
Ἠσαΐας (Ēsaias)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2268: Isaiah, the prophet. Of Hebrew origin; Hesaias, an Israelite.

prophesied
ἐπροφήτευσεν (eprophēteusen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4395: From prophetes; to foretell events, divine, speak under inspiration, exercise the prophetic office.

correctly
Καλῶς (Kalōs)
Adverb
Strong's 2573: Well, nobly, honorably, rightly. Adverb from kalos; well.

about
περὶ (peri)
Preposition
Strong's 4012: From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.

you
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

hypocrites,
ὑποκριτῶν (hypokritōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 5273: From hupokrinomai; an actor under an assumed character, i.e. a dissembler

as
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

it is written:
γέγραπται (gegraptai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1125: A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe.

‘These
Οὗτος (Houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

people
λαὸς (laos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2992: Apparently a primary word; a people.

honor
τιμᾷ (tima)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5091: From timios; to prize, i.e. Fix a valuation upon; by implication, to revere.

Me
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

with [their]
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

lips,
χείλεσίν (cheilesin)
Noun - Dative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5491: From a form of the same as chasma; a lip; figuratively, a margin.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

their
αὐτῶν (autōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

hearts
καρδία (kardia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2588: Prolonged from a primary kar; the heart, i.e. the thoughts or feelings; also the middle.

are
ἀπέχει (apechei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 568: To have in full, be far, it is enough. From apo and echo; to have out, i.e. Receive in full; to keep away, i.e. Be distant.

far
πόρρω (porrō)
Adverb
Strong's 4206: Far, far off, at a distance. Adverb from pro; forwards, i.e. At a distance.

from
ἀπ’ (ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

Me.
ἐμοῦ (emou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Gospels: Mark 7:6 He answered them Well did Isaiah prophesy (Mar Mk Mr)
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