it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is flipping the script on what truly makes someone "unclean." It's not about avoiding certain foods or following ritualistic washings, but about the words that spill out from the deepest part of you, revealing what's truly in your heart.
it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is directly addressing the disciples and the surrounding crowd after the Pharisees have been offended by his disciples eating with unwashed hands. He’s shifting the focus from outward ritual purity, which the Pharisees obsessed over, to the inward source of sin and defilement. This teaching sets the stage for a deeper discussion about the true nature of spiritual impurity, which originates from the heart, not from external practices.
Jesus drops a truth bomb that flips the script on what 'defilement' really means. It's not about what you eat, but what you say.
Jesus is cutting through the religious rules of the day, particularly the Pharisees' emphasis on ritual purity, like washing hands before eating. He says that the external act of eating, or even eating unclean food, doesn't actually make a person morally impure in God's eyes. The real pollution comes from within. It's the thoughts, intentions, and words that spring from the heart. These are the things that truly separate us from God and others. It’s a radical shift from outward observance to inward reality.
Our words aren't just random sounds; Jesus reveals they're powerful indicators of what's really going on inside us.
The verse emphasizes that what comes out of a person—specifically through their words—is what truly defiles them. This isn't just about accidental slips of the tongue. Jesus, in parallel passages, explains that the mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart (Luke 6:45). So, harmful words, lies, gossip, harsh criticism, or hateful speech are direct manifestations of inner corruption. They reveal a heart that is not aligned with God's will. These words don't just express impurity; they actively spread it and damage relationships, both with others and with God.
Understand the original words
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koinoō · Greek Verb
To render ceremonially or morally unclean, making one unfit for holy things or fellowship with God. It often refers to a state of corruption or impurity that separates a person from a righteous standing.
This teaching directly challenged the Pharisees' meticulous oral traditions about ritual purity, which had become more important than the Law's intent. Jesus shifts the focus from external actions to the internal state of the heart as the true source of defilement.
c. 20 BC - c. AD 30
Height of Pharisaic Influence
The Pharisaic movement gained significant influence, emphasizing strict adherence to both the written Law and oral traditions, including detailed purity regulations for daily life.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' Public Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, challenging established religious norms and frequently clashing with the Pharisees and scribes over their interpretations of the Law.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Confronts Pharisees on Purity Laws
Jesus directly confronts the Pharisees and scribes regarding their traditions, particularly their emphasis on ritual hand-washing before eating, leading to the teaching in Matthew 15.
c. AD 30-33
Disciples' Confusion and Learning
Jesus' disciples struggle to grasp his radical redefinition of purity, highlighting the deep-seated nature of the prevailing religious understanding.
c. AD 40s-50s
Early Church Debates on Dietary Laws
The early Christian church grappled with the implications of Jesus' teachings on purity, particularly concerning food laws and their applicability to Gentile believers.
c. AD 60-62
Paul's Letters Address Purity and Law
Apostle Paul's epistles, such as Romans and 1 Corinthians, further articulate the concept of inner spiritual purity over external ritual observance, annulling many distinctions of the Mosaic Law.
This passage directly parallels Jesus' teaching, stating that the 'good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, and out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.' It reinforces the idea that words reveal the inner state.
James 3:2-12James powerfully illustrates the destructive potential of the tongue, describing it as a small part of the body that can corrupt the whole person and set the course of one's life ablaze. This expands on the idea that what comes out of the mouth has defiling power.
Proverbs 10:19This verse highlights the connection between speech and inner sinfulness: 'When there are many words, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.' It suggests that unrestrained speech often reveals an unbridled heart, aligning with Jesus' point.
Mark 7:20-23This passage from Mark's Gospel provides a more detailed list of the 'evil things' that come from the heart—thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. It elaborates on the source of the defilement Jesus speaks of.
barnesMatthew 15:11: "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."
Not that which goeth into the mouth ... - The disciples were charged with being sinners for transgressing the tradition of the elders in eating with unwashed hands. Christ replies that what they should eat could not render them sinners. The man, the moral agent, the soul, could not be polluted by anything that was eaten. What proceeds from the man himself, from his h…
calvinMatthew 15:10-20: "And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:"
- And having called the multitudes to him, he said to them, Hear and understand. 11. What entereth into the mouth polluteth not the man, but what goes out of the mouth polluteth the man. 12. Then his disciples approaching said to him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended when they heard that saying? 13. But he answering, said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be roote…
Jesus is flipping the script on what truly makes someone "unclean." It's not about avoiding certain foods or following ritualistic washings, but about the words that spill out from the deepest part of you, revealing what's truly in your heart.
Jesus is directly addressing the disciples and the surrounding crowd after the Pharisees have been offended by his disciples eating with unwashed hands. He’s shifting the focus from outward ritual purity, which the Pharisees obsessed over, to the inward source of sin and defilement. This teaching sets the stage for a deeper discussion about the true nature of spiritual impurity, which originates from the heart, not from external practices.
Jesus is directly addressing the disciples and the surrounding crowd after the Pharisees have been offended by his disciples eating with unwashed hands. He’s shifting the focus from outward ritual purity, which the Pharisees obsessed over, to the inward source of sin and defilement. This teaching sets the stage for a deeper discussion about the true nature of spiritual impurity, which originates from the heart, not from external practices.
"it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”" — Jesus is flipping the script on what truly makes someone "unclean." It's not about avoiding certain foods or following ritualistic washings, but about the words that spill out from the deepest part o…
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Last reviewed October 2026