Matthew 15 19

Matthew 15:19 kjv

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Matthew 15:19 nkjv

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

Matthew 15:19 niv

For out of the heart come evil thoughts?murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Matthew 15:19 esv

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

Matthew 15:19 nlt

For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.

Matthew 15 verses

Matthew 15 19 Meaning

Matthew 15:19 reveals the intrinsic source of all moral impurity and sin: the fallen human heart. Jesus teaches that true defilement does not come from external factors like food or unwashed hands, but from the wicked thoughts, desires, and intentions that originate from within a person. This verse lists various grievous sins – evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies – as concrete manifestations that flow forth from this corrupted inner being. It fundamentally redefines purity, shifting focus from outward observance to the spiritual state of the heart.

Matthew 15 19 Context

Matthew 15:19 is part of Jesus' teaching on true defilement, immediately following His encounter with Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem (Mt 15:1-20). The Pharisees challenged Jesus' disciples for not adhering to the tradition of washing hands before eating, an oral law, not a biblical commandment. Jesus responded by highlighting their hypocrisy: they meticulously observed human traditions while neglecting God's direct commandments (e.g., honoring parents). He then summoned the crowd and declared that "not what goes into the mouth defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person" (Mt 15:11). The disciples did not initially grasp this radical teaching, prompting Peter to ask for clarification. Jesus then explains to them, culminating in verse 19, that true defilement originates internally, from the heart, rather than from external contact with food or ceremonial impurity. This discourse serves as a profound critique of ritualistic legalism and underscores Jesus' emphasis on the internal, spiritual essence of God's law over mere outward conformity.

Matthew 15 19 Word analysis

• For (γάρ - gar): This causal conjunction connects Jesus' statement directly to His preceding explanation in verse 18, "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart." It signifies that verse 19 provides the specific evidence and detailed list of what truly proceeds from the heart to defile a person.
• out of the heart (ἐκ τῆς καρδίας - ek tēs kardias):
  • ἐκ (ek): A preposition meaning "from" or "out of," denoting the source or origin.
  • καρδίας (kardias): "Heart." In biblical thought (both Hebrew lev/levav and Greek kardia), the heart is not merely the seat of emotions, but the innermost being of a person – the core of one's intellect, will, affections, desires, and moral choices. It is the spiritual and moral center from which one's true nature, motivations, and ultimately, actions emanate. Its state determines a person's defilement or purity.
• proceed (ἐκπορεύονται - ekporeuontai): This verb literally means "to come out from," "to go forth," or "to issue." It emphasizes the spontaneous, natural, and definitive emanation of these sinful actions from the heart as their inherent source, not as external temptations but internal decisions.
• evil thoughts (διαλογισμοὶ πονηροί - dialogismoi ponēroi):
  • διαλογισμοὶ (dialogismoi): "Thoughts," but specifically implies inner reasonings, calculations, debates, or deliberations. These are not just fleeting ideas but deeply considered, planned, and often malevolent intentions or designs.
  • πονηροί (ponēroi): "Evil," "wicked," "malicious," "hurtful." This adjective characterizes the nature of these thoughts as intrinsically bad and destructive. These evil thoughts are the underlying root from which all subsequent sinful actions in the list derive.
• murders (φόνοι - phonoi): The acts of taking human life unlawfully and intentionally. This refers to the most egregious violation of God's commandment "You shall not murder."
• adulteries (μοιχείαι - moicheiai): Acts of sexual unfaithfulness within a marriage, violating the sanctity of the marital covenant. This relates to the seventh commandment.
• fornications (πορνεῖαι - porneiai): A broader term for various forms of illicit sexual immorality outside of the confines of a biblical marriage. This includes premarital sex, prostitution, and other unholy sexual acts.
• thefts (κλοπαί - klopai): Acts of illegally taking what belongs to another. This refers to the eighth commandment against stealing.
• false witness (ψευδομαρτυρίαι - pseudomartyriai): Giving untrue testimony, especially in a legal setting, to deceive or harm someone. This directly violates the ninth commandment against bearing false witness. It encompasses lying, slander, and perjury.
• blasphemies (βλασφημίαι - blasphēmiai): Words of insult, slander, defamation, or irreverence. This includes impious or abusive speech against God, but also hurtful, slanderous speech against other people, particularly those in authority or one's neighbor. In this context, it often refers to harmful speech in general.

Matthew 15 19 Commentary

Matthew 15:19 is a foundational verse in understanding Jesus' teaching on sin and human nature. It utterly rejects the idea that defilement comes primarily from external sources or rituals, as much of the religious establishment of His day emphasized. Instead, Jesus dives to the core, asserting that all moral evil springs forth from the inner wellspring of a corrupted human heart. The list of sins provided – from the intellectual 'evil thoughts' to overt actions like murder and sexual sin, and communicative sins like false witness and blasphemy – serves as compelling evidence of the heart's depravity. This teaching has profound implications: it demonstrates the universal need for inner transformation (a new heart) that only God can provide, renders external performance or adherence to man-made traditions insufficient for true purity, and defines holiness as a matter of the heart that naturally flows into righteous living. True spirituality is not about what we eat or touch, but about the nature of our deepest thoughts and desires, from which all actions, good or evil, genuinely originate.

Bonus Section

• The progression in the list of sins in Matthew 15:19, beginning with "evil thoughts," is significant. It reveals that the origin of external sinful actions is always internal and intellectual, preceding the physical act. This mirrors James' teaching in James 1:14-15, where desire gives birth to sin.
• The choice of sins in the list specifically resonates with violations of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments), underscoring that Jesus is not negating the Law but explaining its deeper, internal application. Murder, adultery, theft, and false witness are direct breaks with commandments. Fornication broadens the sexual transgression. Blasphemy encompasses both God-dishonoring speech and interpersonal slander.
• Jesus' teaching here is revolutionary for His time. It stood in stark contrast to prevailing Jewish views (especially among some Pharisees) which heavily focused on ritual purity and external observance as central to righteousness before God. Jesus shifted the paradigm to an inward moral state.
• This verse underpins the Christian doctrine of "total depravity" – not that humanity is as evil as it can possibly be, but that every part of human nature (intellect, emotion, will) has been corrupted by sin. The heart is utterly sick, necessitating a divine cure.