Uncleanliness

Jesus turned from the Pharisees and scribes and called the crowd to Him. He said to them, “All of you, listen to Me and understand. A person is not defiled by what enters their mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots. Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a pit.”

After Jesus left the crowd and went into the house, Peter said to Jesus, “Explain this parable to us.”

Jesus asked, “Are you still so dull? Do you still not understand? Whatever enters the mouth does not defile a person because it does not enter their heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated. (Thus all foods are clean).

Jesus continued: “What comes out of a person, that is what defiles them. For from within the hearts of people come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, false testimony, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a person, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

And Jesus continued to travel throughout Galilee. He did not want to travel in Judea, because the Jews there were trying to kill Him.

See Matthew 15:10-20; Mark 7:14-23; John 7:1

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