² “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”^(A)

¹¹ What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them,^(A) but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”^(B)

¹⁸ But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart,^(A) and these defile them. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.^{(B) 20} These are what defile a person;^(C) but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.^{(A) 4} When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.^[a])^(B)

⁵ So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders^(C) instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

²⁰ He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them.

²³ All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”