Matthew 15:10-20 (English Standard Version)

What Defiles a Person

 ¹⁰And he called the people to him and said to them, ^(A) "Hear and understand: ^11(B) it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person." ¹²Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were^(C) offended when they heard this saying?" ¹³He answered, ^(D) "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted^(E) will be rooted up. ¹⁴Let them alone;^(F) they are blind guides.^[a] And^(G) if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit." ¹⁵But Peter said to him,^(H) "Explain the parable to us." ¹⁶And he said, ^(I) "Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷Do you not see that^(J) whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?^{[b] 18}But^(K) what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. ¹⁹For out of the heart come^(L) evil thoughts,^(M) murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness,^(N) slander. ^20(O) These are what defile a person. But^(P) to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone."