The Heart of Man

¹⁴ After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵ there is nothing outside the person which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which come out of the person are what defile the person^[a].”

¹⁷ And when He later entered a house, away from the crowd, ^(A)His disciples asked Him about the parable. ¹⁸ And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding as well? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the person from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and ^[b]is eliminated?” (Thereby He declared ^(B)all foods ^(C)clean.) ²⁰ And He was saying, “^(D)That which comes out of the person, that is what defiles the person. ²¹ For from within, out of the ^[c]hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, ²² deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, ^[d](E)envy, slander, ^[e]pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within and defile the person.”