Mark 7:3

Οἱ γὰρ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ἐὰν μὴ πυγμῇ νίψωνται τὰς χεῖρας, οὐκ ἐσθίουσι, κρατοῦντες τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων·

RBT Greek Interlinear:

Strongs 3588; Hoi; Οἱ; the; Art-NMP

Strongs 1063; gar; γὰρ; for; Conj

Strongs 5330; Pharisaioi; Φαρισαῖοι; Separatists; N-NMP

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 3956; pantes; πάντες; all; Adj-NMP

Strongs 3588; hoi; οἱ; the; Art-NMP

Strongs 2453; Ioudaioi; Ἰουδαῖοι; Casters; Adj-NMP

Strongs 1437; ean; ἐὰν; if; Conj

Strongs 3361; mē; μὴ; not; Adv

Strongs 4435; pygmē; πυγμῇ; carefully; N-DFS

Strongs 3538; nipsōntai; νίψωνται; they wash; V-ASM-3P

Strongs 3588; tas; τὰς; the; Art-AFP

Strongs 5495; cheiras; χεῖρας; [your] hands; N-AFP

Strongs 3756; ouk; οὐκ; not; Adv

Strongs 2068; esthiousin; ἐσθίουσιν; eat; V-PIA-3P

Strongs 2902; kratountes; κρατοῦντες; those who are taking power; V-PPA-NMP

Strongs 3588; tēn; τὴν; the; Art-AFS

Strongs 3862; paradosin; παράδοσιν; tradition; N-AFS

Strongs 3588; tōn; τῶν; the; Art-GMP

Strongs 4245; presbyterōn; πρεσβυτέρων; elders; Adj-GMP

RBT Translation:

πυγμῇ = Fist, Punching, Boxing Match

For the Separatists and all of the Casters, unless they wash the Hands with a fist fight,²⁰ they are not eating, those who are seizing control of the Transmission of the Elders.

LITV Translation:
For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they immerse the hands with the fist, holding the tradition of the elders.

ESV Translation:
Error retrieving verse.

Footnotes

20

Strong's G#4435 πυγμή pugmé fist, punch, boxing, fist fight

πυγμῇ πατάξαι: Greek phrase meaning "to strike with the fist."

Exodus 21:18 in the Septuagint, which deals with laws related to bodily injury.

Isaiah 58:4, in the Septuagint, translation of  ולהכות באגרף "and to hit with a fist."

Iliad 23.669:

• In this passage from Homer’s Iliad, πυγμή is used in the context of a boxing match, referring to the act of fighting using fists. In this case, it describes a contest between warriors, and the phrase πυγμῇ νικήσαντα ("to win by punching") suggests the use of fists as the primary form of combat.

Euripides, Alcestis 1031:

• In Alcestis, the phrase πυγμὴν νικᾶν means "to win by pugilism" or "to overcome in hand-to-hand combat," emphasizing physical confrontation and endurance, much like in a boxing match.

Antipater of Sidon, AP 6.256:

• This passage, part of the Greek Anthology, commemorates a victory in a pugilistic contest, where ἄνδρας πυγμὰν ἐνίκα ("he defeated men in boxing") highlights the victorious athlete's skill in the sport of boxing.

Pindar, Olympian Ode 7.16 and 10(11).67:

• In Pindar’s works, πυγμή is referenced in the context of athletic victory, particularly in boxing, as an event in the ancient Greek athletic festivals. These Odes celebrated athletes who excelled in such contests, and πυγμή represents the specific contest of boxing.

Plato, Laws 795b:

• πυγμὴν ἀσκεῖν ("to practice boxing") is used in Plato’s Laws, where it refers to physical training for athletic contests. Plato discusses physical education and its role in shaping virtuous citizens, and boxing was seen as one of the ways to train the body for both strength and discipline.

Inscription, IG 7.1765 (Thespiae):

• This inscription, found in Thespiae, commemorates a boxer who won a contest, using the term πυγμὴν (boxing). It reflects the cultural importance of boxing and athletic competition in ancient Greece.