These are the things that defile the person; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the person.”
Parallel translations
- WEB These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
- KJV These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
- BSB These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.”
- NKJV These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
- NLT These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”
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 concludes that these heart-sins are what truly defile, while eating with unwashed hands does not. It matters because it settles the dispute that began the chapter.
Overview
Returning to the original controversy, Jesus declares that ceremonial hand-washing has no bearing on real defilement. What defiles is the moral corruption of the heart expressed in sinful acts and words. This closes his teaching by clearly distinguishing human tradition from God's true concern. The passage as a whole points to the inner cleansing only Christ can accomplish.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Mark 7:3–4(For the Pharisees and all the Jews, don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.
- Matt 23:25–26“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.
- Eph 5:3–6But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints;
- 1 Cor 6:9–11Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals,
- 1 Cor 6:18–20Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
- Luke 11:38–40When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed himself before dinner.
- Rev 21:27There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
- 1 Cor 3:16–17Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
- Matt 15:2“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”
- Rev 21:8But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 15:20 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.