New English Translation
Matthew 15:20
20These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.”
Matthew 15:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
- New International Version (NIV)These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone."
- New King James Version (NKJV)These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
Context of Matthew 15:20
18But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. 19For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.” 21After going out from there, Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that area came and cried out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!”
Read all of Matthew 15Matthew 15:20 word by word
ταῦτά ἐστιν τὰ κοινοῦντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον· τὸ δὲ ἀνίπτοις χερσὶν φαγεῖν οὐ κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- which defileκοινόωkoinoō · to profaneG2840
- a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- butδέde · thenG1161
- to eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
- withχείρcheir · handG5495
- unwashenἄνιπτοςaniptos · unwashedG449
- notοὐou · noG3756
Cross-references for Matthew 15:20
- 1 Corinthians 3:16Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
- 1 Corinthians 6:9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals,
- Ephesians 5:3But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints.
- Revelation 21:8But to the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.”
- Matthew 15:2“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.”
- Matthew 23:25“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
- Mark 7:3(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing, holding fast to the tradition of the elders.
- Luke 11:38The Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus did not first wash his hands before the meal.
Commentaries on Matthew 15:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20These - defile a man - Our Lord's argument is very plain. What goes into the mouth descends into the stomach and other intestines; - part is retained for the nourishment of the body, and part is ejected, as being improper to afford nourishment. Nothing of this kind defiles the soul, because it does not enter into it; but the evil principles that are in it, producing evil thoughts, murders, etc., these defile the soul, because they have their seat and…Read the comment
- 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. 2020. These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man--Thus does our Lord sum up this whole searching discourse. For the exposition, see on Mr 7:24-30.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 15:20
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
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Commentaries