He opened His mouth and taught them, saying,

You children of snakes! Since you are evil, how do you expect to speak good things? For the mouth speaks what the heart is filled with.

[This was] so that what was spoken by the prophet would be fulfilled, when he said [Psa. 78:2], "I will open my mouth [to speak] with parables. I will say things that have been hidden from the beginning of time."

It is not what enters the mouth of a person that [spiritually] corrupts him, but what proceeds out of his mouth that [spiritually] corrupts him."

Do you not realize that whatever enters a person's mouth goes into his stomach and [eventually] passes out into the toilet?

But the things that come out of a person's mouth come from his heart. These are what [spiritually] corrupt a person.

But, so that we do not become a hindrance to these [tax collectors], go to the lake and cast in your hook [and line]. Then take the first fish [you catch], open its mouth and you will find a coin [i.e., worth twice the amount of an individual's Temple tax assessment]. Take it and give it [to the tax collectors] for you and me."