⁶ And ^(A)the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, ^(B)staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,^[a] and set on fire by hell.^[b]

^15 (A)There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”^[a]

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