Matthew 15:20

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 words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.” 21Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.”

Matthew 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 3:16Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?
• 1 Corinthians 6:9Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,
• Ephesians 5:3Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.
• Revelation 21:8“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
• Matthew 15:2“Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”
• Matthew 23:25“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!
• Mark 7:3(The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions.
• Luke 11:38His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom.

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

• Commandments
• Ecclesiasticism
• Heart
• Jesus, the Christ
• Sin
• Teachers
• Tradition

In the dictionaries

• Capernaum
• Commandment
• Continue
• Draught
• Fill
• Release
• Sin
• Teach
• Tradition
• Truth

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