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

MATTHEW 15:19KJV
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Matthew 15:19 (KJV)

What does Matthew 15:19 mean?

In Matthew 15:19, Jesus says that the source of wrongful thoughts and actions lies within a person. His list moves from thoughts to acts that harm others, including murder, theft, sexual wrongdoing, and false testimony.

Jesus is answering his disciples after a dispute about eating with unwashed hands. The “heart” pictures a person’s inner life, the place from which thoughts and actions emerge.

The Greek behind Matthew 15:19

  • “heart” — καρδία (kardia): The Greek word can refer to the inner person, including the mind and intentions. Here, “heart” carries a wider sense than feelings alone.
  • “thoughts” — διαλογισμοί (dialogismoi): The word can describe thoughts or ways of reasoning. Paired with “evil,” it points to inward thinking alongside the outward acts in Jesus’ list.
  • “fornications” — πορνεῖαι (porneiai): The word refers broadly to sexual immorality. In the list, it stands alongside “adulteries,” which refers to sexual unfaithfulness in marriage.

Why Matthew 15:19 matters

  • Jesus shifts the question of what makes a person unclean from food and handwashing to conduct. In the surrounding passage, he says that eating with unwashed hands does not make a person unclean (verse 20).
  • The list includes harm done through speech as well as deeds. “False witness” refers to lying about someone, especially in testimony, while “blasphemies” refers to abusive or insulting speech, especially against God.

Where else these words appear

“thefts” Greek G2829 · used in 2 verses

  • Mark 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

“witness” Greek G5577 · used in 2 verses

  • Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

“adulteries” Greek G3430 · used in 4 verses

  • Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
  • John 8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
  • Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

“murders” Greek G5408 · used in 10 verses

  • Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
  • Luke 23:25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
  • Galatians 5:21 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.