Matthew 15:10-20 - Defilement From Within

¹⁰ And having called to him the crowd, he said to them, Hear and understand: ¹¹ Not what enters into the mouth defiles the man; but what goes forth out of the mouth, this defiles the man.

¹² Then his disciples, coming up, said to him, Dost thou know that the Pharisees, having heard this word, have been offended?

¹³ But he answering said, Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up. ¹⁴ Leave them alone; they are blind leaders of blind: but if blind lead blind, both will fall into a ditch.

¹⁵ And Peter answering said to him, Expound to us this parable.

¹⁶ But he said, Are ye also still without intelligence? ¹⁷ Do ye not yet apprehend, that everything that enters into the mouth finds its way into the belly, and is cast forth into the draught? ¹⁸ but the things which go forth out of the mouth come out of the heart, and those defile man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnessings, blasphemies; ²⁰ these are the things which defile man; but the eating with unwashen hands does not defile man.

¹⁴ And having called again the crowd, he said to them, Hear me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵ There is nothing from outside a man entering into him which can defile him; but the things which go out from him, those it is which defile the man. ¹⁶ If any one have ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁷ And when he went indoors from the crowd, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. ¹⁸ And he says to them, Are ye also thus unintelligent? Do ye not perceive that all that is outside entering into the man cannot defile him, ¹⁹ because it does not enter into his heart but into his belly, and goes out into the draught, purging all meats? ²⁰ And he said, That which goes forth out of the man, that defiles the man. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, go forth evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, ²² thefts, covetousness, wickednesses, deceit, licentiousness, a wicked eye, injurious language, haughtiness, folly; ²³ all these wicked things go forth from within and defile the man.