But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
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Matthew 15:18-20 sits inside this longer paragraph.
So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand? Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body? But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
Parallel Translations
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But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
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But those thingis which procede out of the mouth come from the herte and they defyle the man.
For out of the herte come evyll thoughtis murder breakyng of wedlocke whordo theefte falce witnes berynge blasphemye.
These are the thingis which defyle a man. But to eate with vnwesshen hondes defyleth not a man.
Show all 3 translations
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But those thinges which proceede out of the mouth, come from the heart, and they defile the man.
For out of the heart come euil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, slaunders.
These are the things, which defile the man: but to eat with vnwashen hands, defileth not ye man.
Cross-references (42)
- Mark 7:21-23 (v19) For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, covetings, wickedness, deceit,…
- Galatians 5:19-21 (v19) Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred,…
- Jeremiah 17:9 (v19) The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?
- Proverbs 15:28 (v18) The heart of the righteous weighs answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes out evil.
- Matthew 12:34 (v18) You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Show all 42 cross-references
- Matthew 15:11 (v18) That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”
- James 3:6-10 (v18) And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course…
- Titus 3:2-6 (v19) to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men. For we were also once foolish,…
- James 1:13-15 (v19) Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is…
- Proverbs 4:23 (v19) Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
- Genesis 6:5 (v19) Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually…
- Proverbs 10:32 (v18) The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.
- Proverbs 15:2 (v18) The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of fools gush out folly.
- Jeremiah 4:14 (v19) Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you?
- Romans 3:10-19 (v19) As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God. They have…
- Psalms 119:113 (v19) I hate double-minded men, but I love your law.
- Proverbs 6:12 (v18) A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
- Proverbs 6:14 (v19) in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always sows discord.
- Isaiah 55:7 (v19) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him, to our God,…
- Isaiah 59:7 (v19) Their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. Desolation and destruction are in…
- Acts 8:22 (v19) Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
- Genesis 8:21 (v19) Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma. Yahweh said in his heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake because the…
- Matthew 9:4 (v19) Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?
- Romans 7:18 (v19) For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is…
- Ephesians 2:1-3 (v19) You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world,…
- Proverbs 24:9 (v19) The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men.
- 1 Samuel 24:13 (v18) As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand will not be on you.
- Psalms 36:3 (v18) The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
- Proverbs 22:15 (v19) Folly is bound up in the heart of a child: the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
- Mark 7:3-4 (v20) (For the Pharisees and all the Jews don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders. They don’t…
- Luke 19:22 (v18) “He said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant! You knew that I am an exacting man, taking up that which I…
- Romans 8:7-8 (v19) because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be. Those who are in the…
- Matthew 15:2 (v20) “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”
- Matthew 23:25-26 (v20) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of…
- Luke 11:38-40 (v20) When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner. The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse…
- 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (v20) Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for…
- 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (v20) Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor…
- 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (v20) Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or…
- Ephesians 5:3-6 (v20) But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints; nor filthiness, nor…
- Revelation 13:5-6 (v18) A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. He opened his…
- Revelation 21:8 (v20) But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in…
- Revelation 21:27 (v20) There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (12 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv18–20 18 But those things which proceed out of the…
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Ver. 18. Come forth from the heart] That forth of sin and fountain of folly; for "as a fountain casteth forth her waters, so doth the heart of man cast out its wickedness," Jer 6:7; and if the tongue be "a world of wickedness," Jas 3:6, what is the heart, that seminary of sin, wherein is a πανσπερμια, as Empedocles saith in Aristotle. {a} In this sea are not only that leviathan the devil (who there sets up his forts and strongholds, 2Co 10:4, and doth intrench and incage himself), but creeping things innumerable, Psa 104:26, making that which should be the temple of God a den of thieves, a palace of pride, a slaughter house of malice, a brothel house of uncleanness, a raging sea of sin, Isa 57:20, a little hell of black and blasphemous imaginations. The natural man lies rotting in the grave of corruption, wrapped up in the winding sheet of hardness of heart and blindness of mind, and (as a carcase crawleth with worms) swarming with those noisome lusts, that were able to poison up an honest heart.
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{a} As in that chaos, Gen 1:2, were the seeds of all creatures; so in the heart, of all sins.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv18–20 But those things which proceed out of the mouth,....…
But those things which proceed out of the mouth,.... Meaning not material things, as spittle, vomit, &c. but, as it follows, which
come forth from the heart: are first conceived and formed there, and then come forth from thence, and are expressed by the mouth; as all idle words, foolish talking, filthy jesting, unsavoury communication, and every word that is rotten and corrupt, or which is done in the life and conversation;
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and they defile the man: the heart is the corrupt fountain from whence all moral defilement flows; and sinful words and actions are the impure streams, which spring from thence, and increase the moral pollution of human nature.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v19 First evil thoughts - then murders - and the…
First evil thoughts - then murders - and the rest. Railings - The Greek word includes all reviling, backbiting, and evil speaking.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv19–20 Verse 19. Out of the heart] In the heart…
Verse 19. Out of the heart] In the heart of an unregenerate man, the principles and seeds of all sin are found. And iniquity is always conceived in the heart before it be spoken or acted. Is there any hope that a man can abstain from outward sin till his heart, that abominable fountain of corruption, be thoroughly cleansed? I trow not.
Evil thoughts] διαλογισμοι πονηροι, wicked dialogues - for in all evil surmisings the heart holds a conversation, or dialogue, with itself. For φονοι, murders, two MSS. have φθονοι, envyings, and three others have both. Envy and murder are nearly allied: the former has often led to the latter.
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Blasphemies] I have already observed, Mt 9:3, that the verb βλασφημεω, when applied to men, signifies to speak INJURIOUSLY of their persons, characters, &c., and, when applied to God, it means to speak IMPIOUSLY of his nature, works, &c.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v19 For out of the heart. We must here observe,…
For out of the heart. We must here observe, that our divine Redeemer mentions offences against our neighbour, to shew us that he is even more desirous we should love our neighbour than worship himself. (Idem.)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv19–20 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts--"evil reasonings";…
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts--"evil reasonings"; referring here more immediately to those corrupt reasonings which had stealthily introduced and gradually reared up that hideous fabric of tradition which at length practically nullified the unchangeable principles of the moral law. But the statement is far broader than this; namely that the first shape which the evil that is in the heart takes, when it begins actively to stir, is that of "considerations" or "reasonings" on certain suggested actions.
murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies--detractions, whether directed against God or man; here the reference seems to be to the latter. Mark (Mar 7:22) adds, "covetousnesses"--or desires after more; "wickednesses"--here meaning, perhaps, malignities of various forms; "deceit, lasciviousness"--meaning, excess or enormity of any kind, though by later writers restricted to lewdness; "an evil eye"--meaning, all looks or glances of envy, jealousy, or ill will towards a neighbor; "pride, foolishness"--in the Old Testament sense of "folly"; that is, criminal senselessness, the folly of the heart. How appalling is this black catalogue!
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv18–20 18. Proceed out of the mouth — Our words…
18. Proceed out of the mouth — Our words particularly. From the heart — They proceed from the inward intention. Thereby not merely our words but our actions, and all that go from the heart, are included. A man is a voluntary cause, and is responsible for all his voluntary and intentional effects.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On v19 19. For out of the heart proceed] The enumeration…
19. For out of the heart proceed] The enumeration follows the order of the Commandments. Evil thoughts—harmful reasonings—form a class under which the rest fall, indicating, too, that the transgression of the Commandments is often in thought, by Christ’s law, not in deed only. For “blasphemies,” which may be thought to sum up the first table, St Mark, whose order differs slightly, has “covetousness,” thus completing the decalogue, and adds to the list in the text “wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, pride, foolishness.”
The plurals “murders, adulteries,” &c., as Meyer points out, denote the different instances and kinds of murder and adultery. Murder includes far more than the act of bloodshed.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v19 (19) Evil thoughts, . . . blasphemies.—The plural form…
(19) Evil thoughts, . . . blasphemies.—The plural form points to the manifold variety of the forms of guilt under each several head. The order is in some measure an ascending one, beginning with the “thoughts,” or rather trains of thought, which are the first suggestions of evil, and ending in the “blasphemies” or revilings which, directly or indirectly, have God and not man for their object. In this beginning and end we may trace a reference to those “evil surmises” which had led the Pharisees, as in Mat_12:24, to words which were blasphemy against the Son of Man, and came perilously near to the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv18–20 Those things. He does not assert that everything which…
Those things. He does not assert that everything which issues from a man"s mouth defiles him; for, as was said above on ver. 11, many good things may come from a man"s mouth; but he means that the evil to which he gives utterance is fraught with pollution to his moral nature. From the heart. The heart stands for soul, mind, spirit, will, the whole inner man, that which makes him what he is, a conscious, intelligent, responsible being. Hence are attributed to it not only words, but acts, conceptions which issue in external actions, and the consequences which these involve.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On v18 18, 19. Out of the heart. The emotional nature;…
18, 19. Out of the heart. The emotional nature; the mind. Evil deeds are begotten of evil thoughts; evil words are the expression of these evil thoughts. These indicate a sinful heart and make a man sinful, or defiled.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v18 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
Jesus continues to explain the parable that he told in Matthew 15:13-14.
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things that come out of the mouth
This refers to what a person says. AT: "words that a person says" (See: Metonymy)
from the heart
Here "heart" refers to a person's mind or innermost being. AT: "from inside the person" or "from a person's mind" (See: Metonymy)
murder
the act of killing innocent people
to eat with unwashed hands
This refers to eating without first ceremonially washing one's hands according to the traditions of the elders. AT: "eating without first washing one's hands"
translationWords
defile
evil
adultery
sexual immorality
corrupt witness
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.