New King James Version
Matthew 15:18
18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man.
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 Living Translation (NLT)But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you.
Context of Matthew 15:18
16So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
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 15:11Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”
- Matthew 12:34Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
- 1 Samuel 24:13As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you.
- Psalms 36:3The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
- Proverbs 6:12A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth;
- Proverbs 10:32The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.
- Proverbs 15:2The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.
- Luke 19:22And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
- James 3:6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
- Revelation 13:5And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries