What Comes Out of the Mouth Defileth a Man
What Comes Out of the Mouth Defileth a Man
Written on 15 August 2026.
Introduction
Jesus Christ taught that it is not what enters into a man from without that defiles him, but what proceeds out of him. This teaching is found in both Matthew 15 and Mark 7.
One way of understanding this passage is that what proceeds from a person can defile that person in the eyes of other people. A man cannot see another man's heart directly. He ordinarily learns what is within another person through what that person says and does.
God, however, already knows the heart. Nothing becomes newly revealed to God merely because a man speaks it with his mouth. This distinction may help explain why Christ places such emphasis upon what proceeds outward from within.
This interpretation also distinguishes between being defiled in another person's sight and merely offending somebody. Jesus offended the Pharisees by speaking the truth, but this did not mean that anything evil had proceeded from Jesus.
That Which Cometh Out of the Mouth
Jesus said:
Matthew 15:10-11 (KJV)
10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
The emphasis is upon something proceeding outward from the person.
Jesus later explained:
Matthew 15:17-20 (KJV)
17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
The things that proceed from the mouth have their origin in the heart. What was previously within the person becomes manifested outwardly.
Out of the Heart of Men
The parallel passage in Mark gives an even longer list:
Mark 7:20-23 (KJV)
20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
This includes not only murder, adultery, and fornication, but also deceit, pride, foolishness, blasphemy, covetousness, and an evil eye.
A person may encounter another man without knowing that these things are within him. But when what is within begins to proceed outward, the other person can learn something that was previously hidden.
This can permanently alter how one person regards another.
God Already Knows the Heart
God does not depend upon a man's speech in order to discover what is inside him.
Scripture says:
1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
This provides an important distinction between God and man.
Man normally sees the outward appearance. God sees the heart.
Therefore, when something proceeds from a man's heart through his mouth, God has not suddenly discovered something about that man which He did not previously know. But another human being may discover something which he did not previously know.
Christ said elsewhere:
Matthew 12:34-35 (KJV)
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
The mouth therefore makes outwardly manifest something that was previously within.
Defilement and Salvation
This interpretation should not be confused with the doctrine of salvation.
From a Free Grace perspective, eternal life is received through believing on Jesus Christ:
John 6:47 (KJV)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
The believer possesses everlasting life. Mark 7 should therefore not be turned into a teaching that a believer loses eternal life because something sinful proceeds from his mouth.
Such an interpretation would also obscure the distinction between God's knowledge and man's knowledge. God already knows what is within a person's heart before that person speaks.
The question considered here is instead whether Christ's description of defilement can be understood in relation to what becomes manifested before other people.
Speech Reveals What Was Hidden
Human relationships necessarily contain things that remain unknown.
A person may have a favorable impression of another because he has seen nothing that destroys that impression. Once extensive speech begins, however, things previously concealed within the heart may become visible.
This helps explain the practical importance Scripture places upon controlling the tongue:
Proverbs 21:23 (KJV)
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Likewise:
Proverbs 17:27-28 (KJV)
27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
Silence does not change what is actually within a person's heart. But it can prevent foolishness, pride, anger, deceit, or other things from being unnecessarily manifested before another person.
Defilement Is Not the Same as Offence
There is nevertheless an important distinction between defiling oneself through what proceeds from within and simply offending another person.
After Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, His disciples said:
Matthew 15:12-14 (KJV)
12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Jesus had not spoken wickedness, deceit, foolishness, or any of the other evil things listed in Mark 7. Nevertheless, the Pharisees were offended.
Their offence therefore did not demonstrate that Jesus had defiled Himself.
A person can become angry because another person speaks the truth.
Rebuking a Wicked Man
Proverbs describes this phenomenon directly:
Proverbs 9:7-8 (KJV)
7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.
8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
A man may therefore acquire a "blot" in another person's estimation precisely because he rebuked that person.
This is very different from deceit, pride, foolishness, fornication, murder, or other evil things proceeding from the man's own heart.
The reaction of the hearer alone cannot determine whether the speaker has done wrong.
John the Baptist and Herod
John the Baptist provides a clear example.
Mark 6:17-20 (KJV)
17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.
18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
John's words produced hostility, particularly from Herodias. Yet Scripture identifies John as "a just man and an holy."
John was rejected because of what he said, but this rejection should not be confused with the kind of defilement Christ describes as proceeding from evil within the heart.
A Time to Keep Silence and a Time to Speak
The answer is therefore not that a man must never speak.
Scripture says:
Ecclesiastes 3:7 (KJV)
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
Sometimes silence preserves peace and prevents unnecessary trouble. At other times truth must be spoken even when another person will dislike hearing it.
The important distinction is between evil proceeding from one's own heart and another person's offence at hearing something true.
Observation
Christ's teaching that what proceeds from a man defiles him can be understood as having an important interpersonal dimension.
God already knows the heart. Man does not.
Another person may initially know only what he sees outwardly. As words and actions proceed from within, previously hidden things become visible. Deceit, pride, foolishness, wickedness, blasphemy, or other evil things can therefore change how a person is regarded by those who encounter them.
Once something has been revealed through speech, it may not be possible to restore the relationship to the state it had before that knowledge existed.
At the same time, another person's negative reaction does not by itself prove that the speaker has been defiled. Jesus offended the Pharisees. John the Baptist provoked Herodias. Proverbs warns that rebuking a wicked man can cause him to hate the person who rebukes him.
There is therefore a difference between something evil coming out of a man and another person becoming offended by what comes out of his mouth.
This distinction also avoids turning Christ's teaching into a doctrine that a man's eternal salvation depends upon what subsequently proceeds from his mouth. Everlasting life is received by believing on Jesus Christ. The teaching concerning what proceeds from the heart can instead be considered in light of the profound effect that a man's words and actions can have upon how he becomes known among other people.
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