Matthew 15 · Verse 19

Matthew 15:19

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Matthew 15:19, King James Version

Matthew 15:19 in other translations

BSBFor out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
WEBFor out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies.
ASVFor out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:
YLTfor out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, whoredoms, thefts, false witnessings, evil speakings:
DARBYFor out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnessings, blasphemies;
BBEFor out of the heart come evil thoughts, the taking of life, broken faith between the married, unclean desires of the flesh, taking of property, false witness, bitter words:
WebsterFor out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

What does Matthew 15:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts--"evil reasonings"; referring here more immediately to those corrupt reasonings which had stealthily introduced and gradually reared up that hideous fabric of tradition which at length practically nullified the unchangeable principles of the moral law. But the statement is far broader than this; namely that the first shape which the evil that is in the heart takes, when it begins actively to stir, is that of "considerations" or "reasonings" on certain suggested actions. murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies--detractions, whether directed against God or man; here the reference seems to be to the latter. Mark (Mr 7:22) adds, "covetousnesses"--or desires after more; "wickednesses"--here meaning, perhaps, malignities of various forms; "deceit, lasciviousness"--meaning, excess or enormity of any kind, though by later writers restricted to lewdness; "an evil eye"--meaning, all looks or glances of envy, jealousy, or ill will towards a neighbor; "pride, foolishness"--in the Old Testament sense of "folly"; that is, criminal senselessness, the folly of the heart. How appalling is this black catalogue!

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19. Mt 15:18

(m) "out of the heart" Gen 6:5, 8:21, Prov 6:14, 24:9, Jer 17:9, Rom 3:10-19 Gal 5:19-21, Eph 2:3, Tit 3:3

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 Out of the heart - In the heart of an unregenerate man, the principles and seeds of all sin are found. And iniquity is always conceived in the heart before it be spoken or acted. Is there any hope that a man can abstain from outward sin till his heart, that abominable fountain of corruption, be thoroughly cleansed? I trow not. Evil thoughts - Διαλογισμοι πονηροι, wicked dialogues - for in all evil surmisings the heart holds a conversation, or dialogue, with itself. For φονοι, murders, two MSS. have φθονοι, envyings, and three others have both. Envy and murder are nearly allied: the former has often led to the latter. Blasphemies - I have already observed, Mat 9:3, that the verb βλασφημεω, when applied to men, signifies to speak Injuriously of their persons, characters, etc., and, when applied to God, it means to speak Impiously of his nature, works, etc.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 15:10-20

Christ shows that the defilement they ought to fear, was not from what entered their mouths as food, but from what came out of their mouths, which showed the wickedness of their hearts. Nothing will last in the soul but the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit; and nothing should be admitted into the church but what is from above; therefore, whoever is offended by a plain, seasonable declaration of the truth, we…

Read the full comment on Matthew 15:10-20 →

Matthew 15:19 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐκekOut ofG1537
γὰρgarforG1063
τῆςtēstheG3588
καρδίαςkardiasheartG2588
ἐξέρχονταιexerchontaicome forthG1831
διαλογισμοὶdialogismoithoughtsG1261
πονηροί,ponēroievil,G4190
φόνοι,phonoimurders,G5408
μοιχεῖαι,moicheiaiadulteries,G3430
πορνεῖαι,porneiaisexual immorality,G4202
κλοπαί,klopaithefts,G2829
ψευδομαρτυρίαι,pseudomarturiaifalse testimonies,G5577
βλασφημίαι.blasphēmiaislanders.G988

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 15:19

  • Mark 7:21-23

    For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

  • Galatians 5:19-21

    Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

  • Jeremiah 17:9

    The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

  • James 1:13-15

    Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

  • Titus 3:2-6

    To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; …

  • Proverbs 4:23

    Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

  • Genesis 6:5

    And 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.

  • Romans 3:10-19

    As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: …

  • Jeremiah 4:14

    O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

  • Isaiah 55:7

    Let 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.

  • Isaiah 59:7

    Their 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.

  • Acts 8:22

    Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
out.
Ge 6:5; 8:21; Pr 4:23; 6:14; 22:15; 24:9; Jer 17:9; Mr 7:21-23
Ro 3:10-19; 7:18; 8:7,8; Ga 5:19-21; Eph 2:1-3; Tit 3:2-6
evil.
9:4; Ps 119:113; Isa 55:7; 59:7; Jer 4:14; Ac 8:22; Jas 1:13-15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 15:18

    But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

  • Matthew 15:19

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

  • Matthew 15:20

    These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Read all of Matthew 15

Matthew 15:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Porque del corazón salen los malos pensamientos, muertes, adulterios, fornicaciones, hurtos, falsos testimonios, blasfemias.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Car du cœur viennent les mauvaises pensées, les meurtres, les adultères, les fornications, les vols, les faux témoignages, les injures:
German
Elberfelder 1871
Denn aus dem Herzen kommen hervor böse Gedanken, Mord, Ehebruch, Hurerei, Dieberei, falsche Zeugnisse, Lästerungen;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
de corde enim exeunt cogitationes malæ, homicidia, adulteria, fornicationes, furta, falsa testimonia, blasphemiæ: