But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The truly defiling things aren't external rituals, but the inner thoughts and intentions already present in our hearts. Jesus redirects attention from outward cleanliness to the internal source of all sin, showing that what we say and do reveals the true state of our spiritual core.
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just silenced the Pharisees and scribes who challenged him about ceremonial washings, explaining that true defilement comes from within, not from external practices. He then turns to the crowds, reiterating this point: what a person says, or more broadly, what they do, originates in their inner being, their heart. This inner corruption is what truly makes a person unclean before God.
Jesus connects our words directly to our inner world. It’s not just what we say, but why we say it that matters. What does this reveal about our hearts?
Jesus is clear: "what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart." This isn't about food or external things; it's about the inner springs of our being. The 'heart' here represents the core of a person – their thoughts, desires, intentions, and will. When Jesus says these things "defile a person," He's pointing to a deep moral and spiritual contamination that originates from within. The outward expression, like our words, is just a symptom of what's going on inside.
Think of it like a well. If the water coming out is muddy, you don't blame the bucket; you look to the source. Jesus is saying our words are like the water, and our hearts are the well. All the anger, lies, impurity, or greed we express start as thoughts and desires hidden within.
Jesus contrasts external actions with internal motivations. What we say isn't just communication; it's a revelation of our deepest selves.
Jesus isn't teaching that all speech defiles. The context is a discussion about ritual purity versus true spiritual purity. He's contrasting the Pharisees' focus on external washing with the internal cleansing God desires. Our words, when they are angry, hateful, deceitful, or impure, are not random outbursts. They are direct outputs from the 'heart' – the control center of our being. This is why Jesus lists specific evils like murder, adultery, and false witness as proceeding from the heart and coming out of the mouth. These are not just actions; they are expressions of inner corruption.
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What comes out of our mouths reveals the 'treasure' stored in our hearts. If our hearts are filled with bitterness, jealousy, or malice, our words will eventually reflect that. Conversely, a heart transformed by God's love and truth will naturally produce words that are encouraging, truthful, and life-giving.
Understand the original words
kardia · Greek Noun
The center of a person's being, encompassing the mind, will, emotions, and moral character. In biblical theology, it is the source of all intentions and the seat of man's moral activity.
koinoō · Greek Verb
To make ceremonially or morally impure; to render someone unfit for holy presence or fellowship with God. It signifies corruption that separates one from God’s holiness.
This teaching cuts through the religious debates of Jesus' day, where much emphasis was placed on external practices. Jesus redirects attention to the source of actions: the heart. This has timeless relevance, reminding us that our internal state—our thoughts, desires, and intentions—is the true measure of our character and relationship with God, not just our outward actions or adherence to rituals.
c. AD 28
Jesus begins public ministry
Jesus begins teaching, healing, and gathering disciples across Galilee, challenging established religious norms.
c. AD 29
Jesus encounters Pharisees' disputes
Jesus frequently engages with and critiques the Pharisees and their disciples over interpretations of the Law, especially concerning ritual purity and tradition.
c. AD 29— this verse
Jesus teaches on inner purity
Jesus delivers teachings that emphasize the importance of the heart and inner transformation over outward religious observance.
c. AD 30
Jesus enters Jerusalem for Passover
Jesus' final public entry into Jerusalem, leading to confrontations with religious leaders and his eventual crucifixion.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' teaching, stating that a 'good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and a bad person out of his bad treasure produces evil, and that from the overflow of the heart his mouth speaks.' It reinforces the idea that our words are a direct outflow of our inner spiritual condition.
Jeremiah 17:9This Old Testament verse provides a stark description of the human heart: 'The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?' This highlights the corrupt source Jesus is referencing, explaining why what comes out of the heart so often defiles.
Romans 3:10-18This passage paints a comprehensive picture of humanity's fallen state, stating that 'no one is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.' It details the corruption originating from within, aligning with Jesus' point that the source of sin and defilement is internal, not external.
James 3:8-10James directly addresses the power and danger of the tongue, calling it 'a restless evil, full of deadly poison.' This passage illustrates how the words that come from the heart, as Jesus explains, can have a profoundly defiling and destructive effect, both on the speaker and the listener.
barnesMatthew 15:18: "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man."
Christ proceeds to state what does defile the man, or render him a sinner: 1. "Evil thoughts" These are the first things - these are the fountains of all others. Thought precedes action. Thought, or purpose, or motive, gives its character to conduct. All evil thoughts are here intended. Though we labor to suppress them, yet they defile us. They leave pollution behind them. 2. "Mu…
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…
The truly defiling things aren't external rituals, but the inner thoughts and intentions already present in our hearts. Jesus redirects attention from outward cleanliness to the internal source of all sin, showing that what we say and do reveals the true state of our spiritual core.
Jesus has just silenced the Pharisees and scribes who challenged him about ceremonial washings, explaining that true defilement comes from within, not from external practices. He then turns to the crowds, reiterating this point: what a person says, or more broadly, what they do, originates in their inner being, their heart. This inner corruption is what truly makes a person unclean before God.
Jesus has just silenced the Pharisees and scribes who challenged him about ceremonial washings, explaining that true defilement comes from within, not from external practices. He then turns to the crowds, reiterating this point: what a person says, or more broadly, what they do, originates in their inner being, their heart. This inner corruption is what truly makes a person unclean before God.
"But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person." — The truly defiling things aren't external rituals, but the inner thoughts and intentions already present in our hearts. Jesus redirects attention from outward cleanliness to the internal source of al…
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Last reviewed October 2026