¹⁴ Summoning^(A) the crowd again, He told them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:^{(B) 15} Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. [¹⁶ If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!]”^[a]

¹⁷ When He went into the house away from the crowd, the disciples asked Him about the parable. ¹⁸ And He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a man from the outside can defile him? ¹⁹ For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach^(C) and is eliminated.”^[b] (As a result, He made all foods clean.^[c](D)) ²⁰ Then He said, “What comes out of a person—that defiles him. ²¹ For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities,^(E) thefts, murders,^{(F) 22} adulteries,^(G) greed,^(H) evil actions, deceit,^(I) promiscuity,^(J) stinginess,^[d] blasphemy,^(K) pride,^(L) and foolishness.^{(M) 23} All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”