Logos Bible Study

Matthew 15:11–20

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11It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth—this defiles a person.” 12Then the disciples came and* said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they* heard this saying?” 13And he answered and* said, “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14Leth them! They are blind guides of the blind. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15But Peter answered and* said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16But he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17Do you not understand that everything that enters into the mouth goes into the stomach and is evacuated into the latrine? 18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these defile the person. 19For from the heart come evil plans, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, abusive speech. 20These are the things that defile a person. But eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person!”

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Footnotes

  1. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came”) has been translated as a finite verb
  2. *Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
  3. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  4. hOr “Depart from”
  5. *Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

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

He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”

“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth—this defiles a person.”

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

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

Then Peter said, “Explain this parable to us.”

“Do you still lack understanding?” he asked. “Don’t you realize that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is eliminated? But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a person. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander. These are the things that defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”

NLTNew Living Translation

It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

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

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

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

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

KJV 1900King James Version

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.