Matthew 15:9

Jesus says their worship is in vain because they teach human rules as if they were God's doctrine. It matters because it warns that worship built on man-made commands is worthless before God.

Cross-references · 23

• Isa 29:13The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught;
• Mark 7:7But they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
• 1 Tim 1:4and not to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than God’s stewardship, which is in faith —
• Titus 1:14not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
• Col 2:18–22Let no one rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshiping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
• 1 Tim 4:6–7If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed.
• Heb 13:9Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by food, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
• Jas 2:20But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
• Isa 58:1–3“Cry aloud, don’t spare. Lift up your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their disobedience, and to the house of Jacob their sins.
• Deut 12:32Whatever thing I command you, that you shall observe to do. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it.
• 1 Sam 25:21Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He has returned me evil for good.
• Rev 22:18I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, may God add to him the plagues which are written in this book.
• 1 Tim 4:1–3But the Spirit says expressly that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons,
• Ps 73:13Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,
• Exod 20:7“You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
• Isa 1:13–15Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me; new moons, Sabbaths, and convocations: I can’t bear with evil assemblies.
• Ps 39:6“Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn’t know who shall gather.
• Prov 30:5–6“Every word of God is flawless. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
• Eccl 5:2–7Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
• Lev 26:20Your strength will be spent in vain; for your land won’t yield its increase, neither will the trees of the land yield their fruit.
• Lev 26:16I also will do this to you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away. You will sow your seed in vain, for your enemies will eat it.
• Mal 3:14You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God;’ and ‘What profit is it that we have followed his instructions, and that we have walked mournfully before Yahweh of Armies?
• 1 Cor 15:2by which also you are saved, if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.