God’s Word Translation
Matthew 15:18
18But whatever goes out of the mouth comes from within, and that’s what makes a person unclean.
Matthew 15:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
- New International Version (NIV)But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
Context of Matthew 15:18
16Jesus said, “Don’t you understand yet? 17Don’t you know that whatever goes into the mouth goes into the stomach and then into a toilet? But whatever goes out of the mouth comes from within, and that’s what makes a person unclean. 19Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, ⌞other⌟ sexual sins, stealing, lying, and cursing come from within. 20These are the things that make a person unclean. But eating without washing one’s hands doesn’t make a person unclean.”
Read all of Matthew 15Matthew 15:18 word by word
τὰ δὲ ἐκπορευόμενα ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἐξέρχεται, κἀκεῖνα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- those things which proceedἐκπορεύωekporeuomai · to departG1607
- outἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- of the mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
- come forthἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
- the heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
- and theyκἀκεῖνοςkakeinos · and that oneG2548
- defileκοινόωkoinoō · to profaneG2840
- the manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
Cross-references for Matthew 15:18
- Matthew 15:11What goes into a person’s mouth doesn’t make him unclean. It’s what comes out of the mouth that makes a person unclean.”
- Matthew 12:34You poisonous snakes! How can you evil people say anything good? Your mouth says what comes from inside you.
- 1 Samuel 24:13It’s like people used to say long ago, ‘Wickedness comes from wicked people.’ But I will not lay a hand on you.
- Psalms 36:3The words from his mouth are ⌞nothing but⌟ trouble and deception. He has stopped doing what is wise and good.
- Proverbs 6:12A good-for-nothing scoundrel is a person who has a dishonest mouth.
- Proverbs 10:32The lips of a righteous person announce good will, but the mouths of wicked people are devious.
- Proverbs 15:2The tongues of wise people give good expression to knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out a flood of stupidity.
- Luke 19:22“The king said to him, ‘I’ll judge you by what you’ve said, you evil servant! You knew that I was a tough person to get along with. You knew that I take what isn’t mine and harvest grain I haven’t planted.
- James 3:6The tongue is that kind of flame. It is a world of evil among the parts of our bodies, and it completely contaminates our bodies. The tongue sets our lives on fire, and is itself set on fire from hell.
- Revelation 13:5The beast was allowed to speak arrogant and insulting things. It was given authority to act for 42 months.
Commentaries on Matthew 15:18
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-20Verses 15-20 See also Mark 7:17-23. Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable - See the notes at Matthew 13:3. The word “parable” sometimes means a dark or obscure saying, Psalm 78:2. Peter meant, “Explain to us more fully this obscure and novel doctrine.” To us, now, it is plain; to the disciples, just coming out of Judaism, the doctrine of Jesus was obscure. Mark says that the disciples asked him. There is no contradiction…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-20Verses 10-20 Christ shows that the defilement they ought to fear, was not from what entered their mouths as food, but from what came out of their mouths, which showed the wickedness of their hearts. Nothing will last in the soul but the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit; and nothing should be admitted into the church but what is from above; therefore, whoever is offended by a plain, seasonable declaration of the truth, we should not be troubled at…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-20Jesus accused the Pharisees of disobeying God's law because of their focus on preserving traditions.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1817-18. Do not ye yet understand that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, &c.--Familiar though these sayings have now become, what freedom from bondage to outward things do they proclaim, on the one hand; and on the other, how searching is the truth which they express--that nothing which enters from without can really defile us; and that only the evil that is in the heart, that is allowed to stir there, to rise up in thought and affection, and to flow…Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 15:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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