11 Bible Verses about Ritual Washing

And I said to him, "You know, my Lord." And he said to me, "These are those who have come out of the great persecution, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

"Blessed are they who wash their robes, so that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in by the gates into the City.

Since, then, we have a cheerful confidence, brothers, to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, that new and living way, through the veil (that is, his flesh); and since we have a great High Priest over the house of God;read more.
let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled from and evil conscience, and our bodies bathed in pure water.

Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the feet of his disciples and to wipe them with the towel with which he had girded himself. Then he came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand it later."read more.
Peter answered, "No, never shall you wash my feet." "If I do not wash you," said Jesus, "you have no part in me." "Lord," said Simon Peter, "not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." Jesus said: "He who has bathed needs only to have his feet washed, and he is altogether clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."

Draw near to God And he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, And purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Now there were six stone water-jars standing there, according to the Jewish rites of purification, each holding about twenty gallons.

Then some of John's disciples got into a controversy with a Jew in regard to purification; so they came to John and said to him.

Then some Scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do your disciples keep transgressing the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating?" "And why do you also keep transgressing the command of God by your tradition?" he asked.read more.
"For God said, Honor your father and mother, and, Let him who reviles father or mother be put to death; but you say that whoever tells his father or mother, 'Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is dedicated to God,' is in no way bound to honor his father. Thus do you make void the word of God by your tradition! Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, saying. This is a people that honors me with their lips, But their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, While they teach doctrines that are the commands of men." Then Jesus called the people to him and said: "Listen, and pay attention. It is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him, but what comes out of it, that defiles the man."

One day the Pharisees came to him in a body with some Scribes who had come from Jerusalem. They had noticed that some of his disciples were eating with "common," that is to say, unwashed hands. For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat until they have ceremoniously washed their hands in obedience to the tradition of the elders;read more.
and when they come from the market-place they do not eat without bathing first. and they have many other customs which they have received and observe, such as the washing of cups and jugs and copper pans. So the Pharisees and Scribes asked him. "Why do your disciples not follow the traditions of the elders? Why do they eat with 'common' unwashed hands?" "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, hypocrites," he answered. "As it is written, 'This people honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far from me; But in vain do they worship me, For their teaching is only human precepts.'" "You neglect the commandment of God, and hold fast the traditions of men." "It is praiseworthy, is it," he exclaimed, "to reject the command of God that you may keep your tradition! For although Moses said, Honor your father and mother, and Let him who curses father or mother suffer death, you say that if a man tells his father or mother, 'This money which otherwise you would have received from me, is Korban' (that is, a thing devoted to God), you exempt him from doing any service for his father or mother. Thus by your tradition which you have handed down you set at naught the word of God; and you do many other things like that." Then again he called the crowd to him and said: "Listen to me, all of you, and understand; there is nothing outside a man which by entering in can defile him; but it is what comes from him that defiled him." OMITTED TEXT. After he had left the crowd and gone indoors his disciples began asking him about the parable. "Are even you without understanding?" he said. "Do you not perceive that nothing whatever from without can defile a man by entering him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his belly, and passes away, ejected from him?" By these words he pronounced all foods clean. "What comes out of a man," he continued, "is what defiles him. From within, from the heart of man, proceed evil purposes??22 fornication, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, wantonness, envy, slander, arrogance, reckless folly??23 all these wicked things issue from within and defile a man."

When he had finished speaking a Pharisee asked him to dine with him; so he went in with him and reclined. And the Pharisee noticed, to his amazement, that he did not wash his hands before eating, but the Lord said to him. "You Pharisee do cleanse the outside of your cup or plate, but your secret heart is full of extortion and wickedness.read more.
"Foolish men! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? "Better cleanse what is within, and nothing will be unclean for you.

Such then were the arrangements. Into the outer tent the priests enter continually in the performance of their duties; but into the inner tent the high priest only goes alone, once a year, and that not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the ignorances of the people. The Holy Spirit teaching by this that the way into the Holiest has not yet been disclosed while the first tent is still standing.read more.
This is a parable, for the present time, according to which gifts and sacrifices are offered that are not able, as far as conscience is concerned, to perfect the worshiper; since they consist only in meats and drinks and various ablutions, carnal ordinances, imposed until the time of reformation. But when Christ came, a High Priest of good things to come, he passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is to say, not of this material creation, not taking the blood of goats and oxen, but his own blood, and entered once for all into the Holy Place, obtaining for us an eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleansing of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through his eternal spirit offered himself free from blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works unto the service of an ever-living God!