For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Parallel translations
- WEB For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
- BSB For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
- NKJV For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.
- NASB For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and slanderous statements.
- NLT For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus lists the evils that come out of the heart—murders, adulteries, thefts, lies, and more. It matters because it shows sin originates within us, not in our circumstances.
Overview
Jesus catalogs the kinds of sin that flow from a corrupted heart, several of them echoing the commandments. The heart is the wellspring of evil thoughts and deeds, not a neutral place corrupted only from outside. This diagnosis confronts every person with the depth of inward sinfulness. It underscores the need for the new heart that the gospel of Christ alone provides.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Mark 7:21–23For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
- Gal 5:19–21Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
- Jer 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
- Titus 3:2–6To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
- Jas 1:13–15Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
- Prov 4:23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
- Gen 6:5And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
- Jer 4:14O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
- Rom 3:10–19As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
- Acts 8:22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
- Isa 59:7Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.
- Prov 6:14Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
- Ps 119:113I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
- Isa 55:7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
- Rom 7:18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
- Eph 2:1–3And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
- Gen 8:21And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
- Matt 9:4And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
- Prov 24:9The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
- Prov 22:15Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
- Rom 8:7–8Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 15:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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