Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse doesn't just list bad actions; it reveals "evil thoughts" as the starting point for all these outward sins. Jesus is showing us that our inner world, the "dialogues" and imaginings within our hearts, are the real breeding ground for the actions that pollute us, not just external things.
Jesus is responding to the disciples' concern that the Pharisees were offended by His teaching. He declares that true defilement doesn't come from external things like unclean food, but from what originates within a person. This verse explains that the source of all sin is the human heart, which then leads to outward actions.
Jesus tells us that what we eat doesn't defile us, but something else does. What is this invisible source of pollution that truly matters?
Jesus confronts the religious leaders' focus on outward purity rituals by revealing the true source of defilement: the human heart. He states clearly that 'out of the heart come evil thoughts...' This means our inner world – our thoughts, intentions, and desires – is where sin originates. What we do is a symptom, but the heart is the disease. The list Jesus provides (murder, adultery, etc.) are not just outward actions, but the explosive results of inner corruption. True purity isn't about washing hands, but about the condition of our inner being.
Jesus lists specific sins like murder and adultery. But how do these grave actions begin? The answer is surprisingly subtle.
Jesus doesn't just say 'sins come from the heart.' He gives a chilling progression, starting with 'evil thoughts.' This is crucial: the most heinous acts of violence, betrayal, and impurity begin as internal deliberations. The commentators note that 'evil thoughts' are the preparation for all other sins. What we entertain in our minds, what we allow ourselves to ponder and scheme about, eventually takes root and manifests in outward actions. This highlights that sin isn't always a sudden outburst; often, it's the culmination of long-held, unresisted internal corruption.
The word Jesus uses for 'pollute' has a deeper meaning than just 'making dirty.' What does it reveal about the heart's state before God?
The Greek word used here, which translates to 'pollute,' literally means 'to make common' or 'to defile.' In the Old Testament context, this often referred to things set apart for God that were then treated as ordinary or profane. Jesus is saying that the sins flowing from the heart don't just make us 'dirty'; they render us 'common' in the divine sense – unfit for God's holy presence. The unrenewed heart, filled with these 'evil thoughts' and intentions, is inherently separated from God's sacredness. It's not just about breaking rules; it's about a fundamental unholiness that separates us from the One who is holy.
Understand the original words
dialogismoi ponēroi · Greek Noun phrase
Thoughts, intentions, or deeds that are morally wicked, malicious, or opposed to God’s nature and commands. It represents the fallen state of humanity's internal motivations.
phonoi · Greek Noun
The intentional killing of a human being. Biblically, it is viewed as a violation of God’s image in man and a supreme act of disobedience against the sanctity of life.
moicheiai · Greek Noun
Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than their spouse. It represents a breach of the marriage covenant and a violation of God's design for human intimacy.
porneiai · Greek Noun
This verse echoes Jesus' point by stating, 'The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?' It highlights the inherent corrupted nature of the human heart as the source of its actions.
James 1:14-15James explains the progression of sin, stating that each person is tempted when they are 'dragged away by their own evil desire, which entices them.' This shows how desires originating in the heart lead to outward actions.
Luke 6:45This parallel passage from Luke's Gospel directly states, 'The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.' It reinforces the idea that our words and deeds are outward expressions of our inner state.
Romans 7:18Paul's admission, 'For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it,' resonates with Jesus' teaching about the corruption originating from within, indicating the struggle against the heart's inclinations.
Genesis 6:5This passage describes the pre-flood world, stating, 'The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.' It illustrates the depth of human depravity originating in the heart, predating Jesus' teaching but showing its ancient roots.
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…
bengelMatthew 15:19: "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:"
Matthew 15:19 . Διαλογισμοὶ πονηροὶ , evil thoughts ) such as the Pharisees entertained. The article is added in Mark 7:21 .— φόνοι , μοιχεῖαι , κ . τ . λ ., murders, adulteries , etc.) Sin against the sixth and following commandments. The plural number increases the force.— βλασφημίαι , curses ) sc. against our neighbour, combined with false witness . In such enum…
This verse doesn't just list bad actions; it reveals "evil thoughts" as the starting point for all these outward sins. Jesus is showing us that our inner world, the "dialogues" and imaginings within our hearts, are the real breeding ground for the actions that pollute us, not just external things.
Jesus is responding to the disciples' concern that the Pharisees were offended by His teaching. He declares that true defilement doesn't come from external things like unclean food, but from what originates within a person. This verse explains that the source of all sin is the human heart, which then leads to outward actions.
Jesus is responding to the disciples' concern that the Pharisees were offended by His teaching. He declares that true defilement doesn't come from external things like unclean food, but from what originates within a person. This verse explains that the source of all sin is the human heart, which then leads to outward actions.
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A broad category covering all forms of sexual activity outside of the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, viewed as a corruption of God's moral order.
klopai · Greek Noun
The act of taking someone else's property without consent. It is fundamentally a violation of the neighbor’s rights and an expression of covetousness.
pseudomartyriai · Greek Noun
Giving untruthful or misleading testimony against another person. It is a direct violation of God’s command to love one's neighbor and maintain justice.
blasphēmai · Greek Noun
Injurious or defamatory speech against others. It is the verbal expression of malice and a failure to use the tongue in a way that honors God and neighbor.
"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander." — This verse doesn't just list bad actions; it reveals "evil thoughts" as the starting point for all these outward sins. Jesus is showing us that our inner world, the "dialogues" and imaginings withi…
