Matthew 15:2

15:2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their ¹  hands when they eat.” ² 

Matthew 15:20

15:20 These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.” ³ 

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¹ tc ‡ Although most witnesses read the genitive plural pronoun αὐτῶν (autwn, “their”), it may have been motivated by clarification (as it is in the translation above). Several other authorities do not have the pronoun, however (א B Δ 073 ˹ 579 700 892 1424 pc f g¹); the lack of an unintentional oversight as the reason for omission strengthens their combined testimony in this shorter reading. NA²⁷ has the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

² tn Grk “when they eat bread.”

³ tn Grk “but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”