Matthew 15:1-20

11Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus 2from Jerusalem and said, 2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they 3do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves also break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God said, ‘4Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘5The one who speaks evil of father or mother is to 6be put to death.’ 5But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been 7given to God,” 6he is not to 8honor his father or mother.’ And by this you have invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you, by saying:8‘9This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.9And in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as 10doctrines the commandments of men.’”

10After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand! 1111It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person.”

12Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were 12offended when they heard this statement?” 13But He answered and said, “13Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14Leave them alone; 14they are blind guides 15of blind people. And 16if a person who is blind guides another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.”

15Peter 17said to Him, “18Explain the parable to us.” 1619Jesus said, “Are you also still lacking in understanding? 17Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is 20eliminated? 18But 21the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person. 1922For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and 23slanderous statements. 20These are the things that defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person.”