Matthew 15:10-20 - Defilement From Within

¹⁰ And having called the multitude, he said, Hear and understand. ¹¹ Not that which enters into the mouth, defiles the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth that defiles the man.

¹² Then the disciples came to him, and said to him, Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this word?

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

¹⁵ And Peter answered and said to him, Explain the parable to us.

¹⁶ And he said, Are you so entirely without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is cast out on the earth? ¹⁸ But the things which proceed from the mouth come from the heart, and these defile the man. ¹⁹ For from the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies: ²⁰ these are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.

¹⁴ And again calling all the people, he said to them, Hear me, all of you, and understand. ¹⁵ Nothing which being out of a man entering into him, can defile him; but those things which proceed from the man, these are the things which defile the man. ¹⁶ (Added verse not retained in Sawyer)

¹⁷ And when he had gone from the multitude into the house, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. ¹⁸ And he said to them, Are you also so without understanding? Do you not understand that nothing which enters into a man from without can defile him, ¹⁹ because it enters not into his heart, but into the stomach, and goes out to the earth, purifying all aliments? ²⁰ But he said, that which comes out of the man, this defiles him; ²¹ for from within, from the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, fornications, ²² thefts, murders, adulteries, covetousness, malice, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. ²³ All these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man.