Defilement Is from Within

10 Summoning the crowd, he told them, “Listen and understand: 11 It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles(A) a person, but what comes out of the mouth—this defiles a person.”(B)

12 Then the disciples came up and told him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?”

13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted.(C) 14 Leave them alone! They are blind guides.[a] And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”(D)

15 Then Peter said, “Explain this parable to us.”(E)

16 “Do you still lack understanding?” he[b] asked. 17 “Don’t you realize[c] that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is eliminated?[d] 18 But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a person.(F) 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies,(G) slander.(H) 20 These are the things that defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 15:14 Other mss add for the blind
  2. 15:16 Other mss read Jesus
  3. 15:17 Other mss add yet
  4. 15:17 Lit and goes out into the toilet

10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”

13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”

16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”

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