Matthew 15:10-20 - Defilement From Within

¹⁰ And he called the multitude to him, and said to them: Hear and understand; ¹¹ That which enters the mouth does not defile the man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man.

¹² Then came his disciples and said to him: Dost thou know that the Pharisees, when they heard that saying, were offended?

¹³ But he answered and said: Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up. ¹⁴ Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind; and if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the pit.

¹⁵ But Peter answered and said to him: Explain to us this dark saying.

¹⁶ Jesus replied: Are you also yet without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth passes into the belly, and is cast out into the sink? ¹⁸ But those things which go out from the mouth, come from the heart; and these defile the man. ¹⁹ For from the heart come evil reasonings, murders, adulteries, lewd actions, thefts, false testimonies, impious words. ²⁰ These are the things that defile the man. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.

¹⁴ And he called the whole multitude to him, and said to them: Hear me, all of you, and understand. ¹⁵ There is nothing with out that, by entering into a man, can defile him. But those things which come out of the man, defile him. ¹⁶ If any one has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁷ And when he had gone into the house, away from the multitude, his disciples asked him about the dark saying. ¹⁸ And he said to them: Are you also so void of understanding? Do you not perceive that nothing from without, by entering into a man, can defile him? ¹⁹ Because it does not enter into his heart, but into his belly, and goes out into the sink, cleansing all food. ²⁰ And he said: What comes out of the man, is that which defiles the man. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the purposes which are evil: adulteries, lewd actions, murders, ²² thefts, schemes for extortion, wicked deeds, deceit, wantonness, an evil eye, calumny, haughtiness, impiety. ²³ All these evil things come forth from within, and defile the man.