30 Bible Verses about Defilement

Most Relevant Verses

Matthew 15:11

Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.

Matthew 15:18

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Mark 7:15

There is nothing from outside a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

Matthew 15:20

These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defiles not a man.

Leviticus 18:24

Defile not you yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

Revelation 14:4

These are they who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Daniel 1:8

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's food, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Ezekiel 5:11

Therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD; Surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things, and with all your abominations, therefore will I also diminish you; neither shall my eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

Mark 7:18

And he said unto them, Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive, that whatsoever thing from outside enters into the man, it cannot defile him;

Leviticus 18:25

And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out its inhabitants.

Leviticus 18:28

That the land vomit you not out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

Mark 7:23

All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Isaiah 24:5

The earth also is defiled under its inhabitants; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

1 Timothy 1:10

For fornicators, for homosexuals, for slave traders, for liars, for perjurers, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

2 Peter 2:20

For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

Numbers 35:34

Defile not therefore the land which you shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

Micah 2:10

Arise, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is defiled, it shall destroy you, even with utter destruction.

Deuteronomy 24:4

Her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and you shall not cause the land to sin, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance.

From Thematic Bible


Defilement » Of sin

Ezekiel 22:4

You have become guilty in your blood that you have shed; and have defiled yourself in your idols which you have made; and you have caused your days to draw near, and have come even unto your years: therefore have I made you a reproach unto the nations, and a mocking to all countries.

Isaiah 59:3

For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness.

Isaiah 24:5

The earth also is defiled under its inhabitants; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

Ezekiel 28:18

You have defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your trading; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of you, it shall devour you, and I will bring you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold you.

Ezekiel 43:8

In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed: therefore I have consumed them in my anger.

Defilement » Who defiles the land

Isaiah 24:5

The earth also is defiled under its inhabitants; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

Genesis 6:11-13

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Numbers 35:30-33

Whoever kills any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And you shall take no ransom for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. read more.
So you shall not pollute the land in which you are: for blood defiles the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, except by the blood of him that shed it.

Psalm 106:37-39

Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto demons, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and played the harlot with their own deeds.

Jeremiah 16:16-21

Behold, I will send for many fishermen, says the LORD, and they shall catch them; and afterward will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For my eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from my eyes. And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled my inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable idols. read more.
O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the nations shall come unto you from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things in which there is no profit. Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods? Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know my hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD.

More verses: Ezekiel 36:16-18

Defilement » What defiles a man

James 3:6

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.

Matthew 15:10-11

And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.

Mark 7:14-23

And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: There is nothing from outside a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear. read more.
And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he said unto them, Are you so without understanding also? Do you not perceive, that whatsoever thing from outside enters into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly, and goes out into the drain, purging all foods? And he said, That which came out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Defilement » Caused by » Touching carcass of an unclean thing

Leviticus 5:2-13

Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcass of an unclean animal, or a carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it is hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty. Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled with, and it be hid from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty. Or if a soul vows, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these. read more.
And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing: And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he has sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin. And if he is not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he has committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off its head from its neck, but shall not divide it asunder: And he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering. And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the ordinance: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he has sinned, and it shall be forgiven him. But if he is not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering. Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial portion, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it is a sin offering. And the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin that he has sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest's, as a grain offering.

Leviticus 11:8

Of their flesh shall you not eat, and their carcass shall you not touch; they are unclean to you.

Leviticus 11:24-28

And for these you shall be unclean: whosoever touches the carcass of them shall be unclean until the evening. And whosoever bears any part of the carcass of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. The carcasses of every animal which divides the hoof, and is not cloven footed, nor chews the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that touches them shall be unclean. read more.
And whatsoever goes upon its paws, among all manner of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean unto you: whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. And he that bears the carcass of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening: they are unclean unto you.

Leviticus 11:31-38

These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever does touch them, when they are dead, shall be unclean until the evening. And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, does fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; so it shall be cleansed. And every earthen vessel, into which any of them falls, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and you shall break it. read more.
Of all food which may be eaten, that on which such water comes shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean. And everything whereupon any part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you. Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean. And if any part of their carcass fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean. But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcass fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.

Leviticus 14:46-57

Moreover he that goes into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening. And he that lies in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eats in the house shall wash his clothes. And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the disease has not spread in the house, after the house was plastered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the disease is healed. read more.
And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water: And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times: And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet: But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean. This is the law for all manner of disease of leprosy, and scaly eruption, And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house, And for a swelling, and for a scab, and for a bright spot: To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

Defilement » Ceremonial, abolished under the gospel

Acts 10:15

And the voice spoke unto him again the second time, What God has cleansed, that call not common.

Romans 14:14

I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Colossians 2:20-22

Therefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Defilement » Ceremonial

John 18:28

Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

Leviticus 11:43

You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled by them.

Leviticus 15:2

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man has a discharge out of his flesh, because of his discharge he is unclean.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Touching a dead body or a bone

Numbers 9:6

And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:

Numbers 19:16

And whosoever touches one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

Defilement » Moral, caused by » Making and serving idols

Ezekiel 20:17

Nevertheless my eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

Ezekiel 22:3

Then say you, Thus says the Lord GOD, The city sheds blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and makes idols within herself to defile herself.

Ezekiel 23:7

Thus she committed her harlotries with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Eating unclean things

Leviticus 11:8

Of their flesh shall you not eat, and their carcass shall you not touch; they are unclean to you.

Acts 10:11

And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet held at the four corners, and let down to the earth:

Defilement » of priests

Leviticus 16:26

And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

Leviticus 16:28

And he that burns them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

Numbers 19:7-10

Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the evening. And he that burns her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the evening. And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up outside the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of purification: it is a purification for sin. read more.
And he that gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourns among them, for a statute forever.

Ezekiel 44:25-26

And they shall come near no dead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that has had no husband, they may defile themselves. And after he is cleansed, they shall count unto him seven days.

Defilement » priests » Specially required to avoid

Leviticus 21:1-6

And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people: But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother, And for his sister a virgin, that is near unto him, who has had no husband; for her he may be defiled. read more.
But he shall not otherwise defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself. They shall not make any bald place upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

Leviticus 21:11-12

Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.

Defilement » Not defiling

Leviticus 18:24-30

Defile not you yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out its inhabitants. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourns among you: read more.
(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) That the land vomit you not out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. Therefore shall you keep my ordinance, that you commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that you defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

Numbers 35:33-34

So you shall not pollute the land in which you are: for blood defiles the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, except by the blood of him that shed it. Defile not therefore the land which you shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

Defilement » Things liable to ceremonial » The land

Deuteronomy 21:23

His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that your land be not defiled, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance.

Leviticus 18:25

And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out its inhabitants.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Touching a dead beast

Leviticus 5:2

Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcass of an unclean animal, or a carcass of unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean creeping things, and it is hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.

Leviticus 11:24-28

And for these you shall be unclean: whosoever touches the carcass of them shall be unclean until the evening. And whosoever bears any part of the carcass of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. The carcasses of every animal which divides the hoof, and is not cloven footed, nor chews the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that touches them shall be unclean. read more.
And whatsoever goes upon its paws, among all manner of animals that go on all fours, those are unclean unto you: whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening. And he that bears the carcass of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening: they are unclean unto you.

Defilement » priests » Not to eat holy things while under

Leviticus 22:2

Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 22:4-6

Whatsoever man of the descendants of Aaron who is a leper, or has a discharge; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean. And whoever touches any thing that is defiled by a dead body, or a man who has had an emission of semen; Or whosoever touches any creeping thing, by which he may be made unclean, or a man by whom he may be made unclean, whatsoever his uncleanness may be; The soul which has touched any such shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he washes his flesh with water.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Having a leprosy

Leviticus 13:3

And the priest shall look on the disease in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the disease is turned white, and the disease in sight is deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a disease of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

Leviticus 13:11

It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.

Defilement » priests » To decide in all cases of

Leviticus 13:3

And the priest shall look on the disease in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the disease is turned white, and the disease in sight is deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a disease of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

Leviticus 10:10

And that you may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

Defilement » Things liable to ceremonial » The sanctuary

Leviticus 20:3

And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he has given of his children unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

Zephaniah 3:4

Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous persons: her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

Defilement » Illustrative » Of sin

Matthew 15:11

Not that which goes into the mouth defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.

Matthew 15:18

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

Defilement » Neglecting purification from, punished by cutting off

Numbers 19:20

But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of purification has not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

Numbers 19:13

Whosoever touches the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifies not himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of purification was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Having an issue, &c

Numbers 5:2

Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that has a discharge, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:

Leviticus 15:2

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man has a discharge out of his flesh, because of his discharge he is unclean.

Defilement » Caused by » Touching the carcass of any ceremonially unclean animal

Leviticus 17:15-16

And every soul that eats that which died of itself, or that which was torn by animals, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening: then shall he be clean. But if he washes them not, nor bathes his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.

Leviticus 11:39-40

And if any animal, of which you may eat, dies; he that touches the carcass thereof shall be unclean until the evening. And he that eats of the carcass of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening: he also that bears the carcass of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.

Defilement » What defiles the house of God

Jeremiah 19:12-13

Thus will I do unto this place, says the LORD, and to its inhabitants, and even make this city as Topheth: And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled like the place of Topheth, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

Jeremiah 32:34-36

But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it. And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. And now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, of which you say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;

Defilement » Caused by » Leprosy

Leviticus 13:3

And the priest shall look on the disease in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the disease is turned white, and the disease in sight is deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a disease of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

Leviticus 13:44-46

He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his disease is in his head. And the leper in whom the disease is, his clothes shall be torn, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. All the days in which the disease shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; outside the camp shall his habitation be.

Leviticus 22:4-7

Whatsoever man of the descendants of Aaron who is a leper, or has a discharge; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean. And whoever touches any thing that is defiled by a dead body, or a man who has had an emission of semen; Or whosoever touches any creeping thing, by which he may be made unclean, or a man by whom he may be made unclean, whatsoever his uncleanness may be; The soul which has touched any such shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he washes his flesh with water. read more.
And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.

Defilement » Laws relating to

Leviticus 11:43

You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled by them.

Leviticus 7:18-21

And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offers it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eats of it shall bear his iniquity. And the flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof. But the soul that eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. read more.
Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean animal, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Leviticus 22:2-7

Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD. Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your descendants among your generations, that goes unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. Whatsoever man of the descendants of Aaron who is a leper, or has a discharge; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean. And whoever touches any thing that is defiled by a dead body, or a man who has had an emission of semen; read more.
Or whosoever touches any creeping thing, by which he may be made unclean, or a man by whom he may be made unclean, whatsoever his uncleanness may be; The soul which has touched any such shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he washes his flesh with water. And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.

Defilement » Causes of, improperly enlarged by tradition

Mark 7:2

And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashed, hands, they found fault.

Matthew 15:20

These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defiles not a man.

Defilement » Illustrative » Of unholy doctrines

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man defiles the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Defilement » Caused by » Touching the dead

Numbers 19:11-22

He that touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. He shall purify himself with the water on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. Whosoever touches the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifies not himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of purification was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him. read more.
This is the law, when a man dies in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. And every open vessel, which has no covering fastened upon it, is unclean. And whosoever touches one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel: And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at evening. But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of purification has not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean. And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes; and he that touches the water of purification shall be unclean until evening. And whatsoever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and any person that touches it shall be unclean until evening.

Numbers 31:19-20

And you must abide outside the camp seven days: whosoever has killed any person, and whosoever has touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. And purify all your clothing, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.

Defilement » Caused by » Menses

Leviticus 15:19-33

And if a woman has a discharge, and her discharge in her flesh is blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening. And everything that she lies upon in her impurity shall be unclean: everything also that she sits upon shall be unclean. And whosoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. read more.
And whosoever touches anything that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And if it be on her bed, or on anything on which she sits, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until the evening. And if any man lie with her at all, and her impurity is upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the beds on which he lies shall be unclean. And if a woman has a discharge of blood many days other than the time of her impurity, or if it runs beyond the time of her impurity; all the days of the discharge of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her impurity: she shall be unclean. Every bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be unto her as the bed of her impurity: and whatsoever she sits upon shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her impurity. And whosoever touches those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. But if she be cleansed of her discharge, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the discharge of her uncleanness. Thus shall you separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. This is the law of him that has a discharge, and of him who has an emission of semen, and is unclean thereby; And of her that is sick of her impurity, and of him that has a discharge, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lies with her who is unclean.

2 Samuel 11:4

And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

Defilement » Those that defile the temple of God

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man defiles the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Defilement » Caused by » Childbirth

Leviticus 12:2-8

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child: then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purification three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled. read more.
But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity: and she shall continue in the blood of her purification three score and six days. And when the days of her purification are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of meeting, unto the priest: Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her that has borne a male or a female. And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

Luke 2:22

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

Defilement » Those that defile themselves

Leviticus 18:24-29

Defile not you yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out its inhabitants. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourns among you: read more.
(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) That the land vomit you not out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

Defilement » Forbidden to the jews

Leviticus 11:44-45

For I am the LORD your God: you shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall you defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. For I am the LORD that brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: you shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

Defilement » Things liable to ceremonial » Furniture, &c

Leviticus 15:9-10

And whatsoever saddle which he rides upon that has the discharge shall be unclean. And whosoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening: and he that bears any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Touching anything defiled by an issue, &c

Leviticus 15:5-11

And whosoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And he that sits on any thing on which he sat that has the discharge shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And he that touches the flesh of him that has the discharge shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. read more.
And if he that has the discharge spits upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And whatsoever saddle which he rides upon that has the discharge shall be unclean. And whosoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening: and he that bears any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And whomsoever he touches that has the discharge, and has not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Mourning for the dead

Leviticus 21:1-3

And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people: But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother, And for his sister a virgin, that is near unto him, who has had no husband; for her he may be defiled.

Defilement » Caused by » Gonorrhea

Leviticus 15:1-15

And the LORD spoke unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man has a discharge out of his flesh, because of his discharge he is unclean. And this shall be his uncleanness in his discharge: whether his flesh runs with his discharge, or his flesh be stopped from his discharge, it is his uncleanness. read more.
Every bed, whereon he lies that has the discharge, is unclean: and everything, whereon he sits, shall be unclean. And whosoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And he that sits on any thing on which he sat that has the discharge shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And he that touches the flesh of him that has the discharge shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And if he that has the discharge spits upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And whatsoever saddle which he rides upon that has the discharge shall be unclean. And whosoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening: and he that bears any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And whomsoever he touches that has the discharge, and has not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. And the vessel of earth, that he touches which has the discharge, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. And when he that has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean. And on the eighth day he shall take for him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and give them unto the priest: And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his discharge.

Leviticus 22:4

Whatsoever man of the descendants of Aaron who is a leper, or has a discharge; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean. And whoever touches any thing that is defiled by a dead body, or a man who has had an emission of semen;

Defilement » Cleansed by legal ablutions

Numbers 19:18-19

And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at evening.

Defilement » Things liable to ceremonial » Garments

Leviticus 13:59

This is the law of the disease of leprosy in a garment of woolen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or anything of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.

Defilement » Things liable to ceremonial » Houses

Leviticus 14:44

Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the disease is spread in the house, it is an active leprosy in the house: it is unclean.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Going into a leprous house

Leviticus 14:46

Moreover he that goes into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Eating things that died

Leviticus 17:15

And every soul that eats that which died of itself, or that which was torn by animals, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening: then shall he be clean.

Defilement » Moral, caused by » Following the sins of the heathen

Leviticus 18:24

Defile not you yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

Defilement » Moral, caused by » Seeking after wizards

Defilement » Moral, caused by » Giving children to molech

Leviticus 20:3

And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he has given of his children unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

Defilement » priests » Punished for eating of the holy things while under

Leviticus 22:3

Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your descendants among your generations, that goes unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.

Defilement » Child-bearing

Leviticus 12:2

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child: then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity shall she be unclean.

Defilement » Things liable to ceremonial » The person

Leviticus 5:3

Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled with, and it be hid from him; when he knows of it, then he shall be guilty.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Gathering ashes of the red heifer

Numbers 19:10

And he that gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourns among them, for a statute forever.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Being alone with a dead body

Numbers 19:14

This is the law, when a man dies in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Touching an unclean person

Numbers 19:22

And whatsoever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and any person that touches it shall be unclean until evening.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Touching a grave

Numbers 19:16

And whosoever touches one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

Defilement » Those that are defiled

Titus 1:15-16

Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Defilement » Those under, removed from the camp

Numbers 5:3-4

Both male and female shall you put out, outside the camp shall you put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst of which I dwell. And the children of Israel did so, and put them out, outside the camp: as the LORD spoke unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Sacrificing the red heifer

Numbers 19:7

Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the evening.

Defilement » Ceremonial caused by » Burning the red heifer

Numbers 19:8

And he that burns her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the evening.

Defilement » Moral, caused by » Blood shedding

Isaiah 59:3

For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness.

Defilement » Caused by » Killing in battle

Numbers 31:19-20

And you must abide outside the camp seven days: whosoever has killed any person, and whosoever has touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. And purify all your clothing, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.

Defilement » Caused by » Spermatorrhea

Leviticus 15:16-17

And if any man's semen go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the evening. And every garment, and every skin, on which is the semen, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening.

Defilement » Moral, punished

Leviticus 18:24-25

Defile not you yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomits out its inhabitants.

Defilement » Who defiles the flesh

Jude 1:7-8

Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after unnatural lust, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise authority, and speak evil of the glorious ones.

Defilement » Contact with sinners falsely supposed to cause

John 18:28

Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

Defilement » Caused by » Copulation

Leviticus 15:17

And every garment, and every skin, on which is the semen, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening.

Defilement » Egyptian usage, concerning

Genesis 43:32

And they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, who did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Evil » Associations » Results of » Defilement

Topics on Defilement

Defilement, By Sin

Ezekiel 14:11

That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be defiled any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, says the Lord GOD.

Defilement, Ceremonial Causes

Leviticus 20:25

You shall therefore make a distinction between clean animals and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and you shall not make your souls abominable by animal, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.

Defilement, Objects Of

1 Corinthians 8:7

But there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience about the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

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