Jesus uses the word "well" here with a biting irony. He’s not saying Isaiah prophesied accurately, but rather that his words perfectly fit these hypocrites, revealing their outward show that completely misses God's heart.
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; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is confronting a delegation of Pharisees and scribes who have traveled from Jerusalem to challenge his disciples for eating with ritually unwashed hands. He turns their accusation back on them, revealing their own hypocrisy by showing how their traditions often override God's commands. Jesus then quotes Isaiah to expose their outward show of devotion, highlighting the emptiness of their worship because their hearts are far from God.
Jesus declares Isaiah prophesied 'well' about the Pharisees. What makes his words so cuttingly accurate?
When Jesus says, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites," he's using a bit of biting irony. The word translated 'well' here is used to mean 'beautifully' or 'finely.' But Jesus isn't complimenting them! He's pointing out how perfectly Isaiah's ancient words, written centuries before, capture the very essence of their hypocrisy. It's like saying, 'You guys are exactly who Isaiah was describing!' This isn't just a casual quote; it's a profound indictment, showing that their empty religious show was something God had seen coming all along.
What's the difference between honoring God with your lips and honoring Him with your heart?
This is the heart of the problem Jesus addresses. The Pharisees were experts at the outward show of religion. They performed rituals, recited prayers, and spoke the right words – their lips were engaged. But their internal state, their heart, was far from God. This means their affections, desires, and true focus were elsewhere. True worship, as God sees it, isn't just about saying the right things; it's about a sincere inward devotion and alignment of our whole being with Him. The disconnect between their words and their hearts revealed a fundamental emptiness in their relationship with God.
Jesus calls the Pharisees 'hypocrites.' What does that word mean in this context?
Ask a follow-up
The term 'hypocrite' originally referred to an actor in a play, one who wore a mask to play a role. Jesus uses it here to describe the Pharisees perfectly. They were playing the part of devout worshippers, but their inner selves—their hearts—were not aligned with their outward actions. This isn't just about being two-faced; it's about presenting a false religious image to the world while harboring different, often contrary, internal realities. Their 'worship' was a performance, not a genuine expression of devotion. True faith isn't a role to play; it's a transformation of the heart that naturally overflows in sincere actions and words.
Understand the original words
hypokritēs · Greek Noun
Someone who plays a part or wears a mask, referring to one whose outward religious profession does not match their inward spiritual reality. In the Bible, it describes religious pretense.
timaō · Greek Verb
To show deep respect, reverence, or high esteem. When applied to God, it refers to the outward expression of esteem through worship and acknowledgment of His status.
kardia · Greek Noun
The core of the human personality, including the intellect, emotions, will, and conscience. It is the seat of moral choices and the center of a person's spiritual relationship with God.
matēn · Greek Adverb
Empty, useless, or without purpose. In a religious context, it refers to acts of worship that lack genuine spiritual substance or acceptance by God because they are disconnected from a sincere life.
sebomai · Greek Verb
The act of showing reverence, adoration, or service toward God. True biblical worship is not merely ritualistic but involves the total yielding of oneself to God in accordance with His revealed truth.
didaskalia · Greek Noun
A body of teachings or instructions. Biblically, these should be rooted in the revelation of God; when they stem from human authority, they often contradict divine intent.
entolē · Greek Noun
A divine directive or mandate given by God. It is an authoritative requirement that carries the weight of God's character and authority over His people.
paradosis · Greek Noun
An authoritative instruction or body of custom handed down, often through oral history. When placed above God's word, it becomes a tool for human legalism rather than spiritual devotion.
Jesus' confrontation with the religious leaders in Mark 7 directly echoes the spiritual corruption Isaiah condemned centuries earlier, highlighting a persistent human tendency to substitute outward ritual for genuine heart devotion to God.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah's Prophecy
Isaiah prophesies concerning the people of Judah, accusing them of outward devotion with no inward sincerity, foreshadowing future judgment and exile.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and exiling many, a judgment partly due to the people's unfaithfulness and corrupted worship.
c. 440-400 BC
Ezra and Nehemiah rebuild
Following the return from exile, Ezra and Nehemiah lead efforts to restore Jewish law and community, emphasizing adherence to God's commands.
c. 150 BC - AD 70
Development of Oral Law and Traditions
Jewish scribes and Pharisees develop extensive oral traditions, interpretations, and practices that increasingly overshadow the written Law.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, often challenging the religious establishment and their interpretations of the Law.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Confronts Pharisees
Jesus directly confronts the Pharisees and scribes over their traditions, hypocrisy, and failure to uphold God's commandments, quoting Isaiah's prophecy.
This is the direct source passage Jesus quotes, highlighting the ancient roots of the problem of outward religious show without inner devotion.
Matthew 15:8-9Matthew records Jesus using the same prophecy from Isaiah when confronting the Pharisees about their traditions, underscoring the consistent theme of hypocrisy in religious practice.
Jeremiah 12:2This passage from Jeremiah expresses a similar lament about those who are outwardly religious but inwardly corrupt, showing this was a recurring issue God addressed.
Luke 11:39-40In Luke's Gospel, Jesus directly calls the Pharisees 'fools' and accuses them of neglecting the 'inside' (heart) while focusing on outward 'cleansing,' echoing the 'heart far from me' sentiment.
1 Samuel 16:7This verse reveals God's perspective, stating that He looks at the heart, contrasting with the people's outward 'honoring' that lacks true inner substance.
pooleMark 7:6: "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."
See Poole on "Mark 7:6"
bengelMark 7:6: "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."
Mark 7:6 . Ὑποκριτῶν , hypocrites ) Indeed, we may derive from this passage a definition of hypocrisy . These Pharisees were a sample of hypocrites in general.
Jesus uses the word "well" here with a biting irony. He’s not saying Isaiah prophesied accurately, but rather that his words perfectly fit these hypocrites, revealing their outward show that completely misses God's heart.
Jesus is confronting a delegation of Pharisees and scribes who have traveled from Jerusalem to challenge his disciples for eating with ritually unwashed hands. He turns their accusation back on them, revealing their own hypocrisy by showing how their traditions often override God's commands. Jesus then quotes Isaiah to expose their outward show of devotion, highlighting the emptiness of their worship because their hearts are far from God.
Jesus is confronting a delegation of Pharisees and scribes who have traveled from Jerusalem to challenge his disciples for eating with ritually unwashed hands. He turns their accusation back on them, revealing their own hypocrisy by showing how their traditions often override God's commands. Jesus then quotes Isaiah to expose their outward show of devotion, highlighting the emptiness of their worship because their hearts are far from God.
"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; in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the command…" — Jesus uses the word "well" here with a biting irony. He’s not saying Isaiah prophesied *accurately*, but rather that his words perfectly *fit* these hypocrites, revealing their outward show that comp…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026