Matthew 15:10-20 - Defilement From Within

¹⁰ And calling the multitudes he said to them, Hear and understand. ¹¹ Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man, but what cometh out of the mouth, this defileth the man.

¹² Then came his disciples and said to him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees, hearing this saying, were offended?

¹³ He answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. ¹⁴ Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind: but if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a ditch.

¹⁵ Then answered Peter and said to him, Declare to us this parable.

¹⁶ And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? ¹⁷ Do not ye yet understand, that whatever entereth into the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the vault? ¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth, come out of the heart, and they defile the man. ¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings. ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

¹⁴ And calling all the multitude, he said to them, Hearken to me every one of you and consider. ¹⁵ There is nothing entering into a man from without, which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, these are they that defile the man. ¹⁶ If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁷ And when he was come from the multitude into the house, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. ¹⁸ And he saith to them, Are even ye so without understanding? Do ye not perceive, That whatsoever entereth into a man from without, cannot defile him, ¹⁹ Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth into the vault, purging all meats. ²⁰ And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. ²¹ For from within, out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, ²² Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, envy, evil speaking, pride, foolishness. ²³ All these evils come from within, and defile the man.