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Things That Defile

10 Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.”(A) 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13 He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.(B) 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.[a] And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.”(C) 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.”(D) 16 Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding?(E) 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles.(F) 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.(G) 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”

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Footnotes

  1. 15.14 Other ancient authorities lack of the blind

10 Then calling out to the crowd, he addressed them, “Listen and understand! 11 It is not what goes into the mouth that makes a person unclean. It is what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean.”

12 Then the disciples came and asked him, “Do you realize that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?”

13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind.[a] If one blind person leads another blind person, both will fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter told him, “Explain to us this[b] parable.”

16 Jesus[c] said, “Are you still so ignorant? 17 Don’t you know that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and then is expelled as waste? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and it is those things that make a person unclean. 19 It is out of the heart that evil thoughts come, as well as murder, adultery, sexual immorality, stealing, false testimony, and slander.[d] 20 These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating with unwashed hands doesn’t make a person unclean.”

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 15:14 Other mss. lack of the blind
  2. Matthew 15:15 Other mss. read the
  3. Matthew 15:16 Lit. He
  4. Matthew 15:19 Or blasphemy