Matthew 15:1–20

¹Then come unto Jesus do they from Jerusalem—scribes and Pharisees—saying, ²‘Wherefore do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they may eat bread.’ ³And he answering said to them, ‘Wherefore also do ye transgress the command of God because of your tradition? ⁴for God did command, saying, Honour thy father and mother; and, He who is speaking evil of father or mother—let him die the death; ⁵but ye say, Whoever may say to father or mother, An offering is whatever thou mayest be profited by me;— ⁶and he may not honour his father or his mother, and ye did set aside the command of God because of your tradition.

⁷‘Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, ⁸This people doth draw nigh to Me with their mouth, and with the lips it doth honour Me, but their heart is far off from Me; ⁹and in vain do they worship Me, teaching teachings—commands of men.’

¹⁰And having called near the multitude, he said to them, ‘Hear and understand: ¹¹not that which is coming into the mouth doth defile the man, but that which is coming forth from the mouth, this defileth the man.’ ¹²Then his disciples having come near, said to him, ‘Hast thou known that the Pharisees, having heard the word, were stumbled?’ ¹³And he answering said, ‘Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up; ¹⁴let them alone, guides they are—blind of blind; and if blind may guide blind, both into a ditch shall fall.’ ¹⁵And Peter answering said to him, ‘Explain to us this simile.’ ¹⁶And Jesus said, ‘Are ye also yet without understanding? ¹⁷do ye not understand that all that is going into the mouth doth pass into the belly, and into the drain is cast forth? ¹⁸but the things coming forth from the mouth from the heart do come forth, and these defile the man; ¹⁹for out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, whoredoms, thefts, false witnessings, evil speakings: ²⁰these are the things defiling the man; but to eat with unwashen hands doth not defile the man.’