²¹ For from within, out of the ^[a]hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, ²² deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, ^[b](A)envy, slander, ^[c]pride, and foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within and defile the person.”

¹¹ Then you are to say to them, ‘It is ^(A)because your forefathers have abandoned Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and have followed ^(B)other gods, and served and worshiped them; but they have abandoned Me and have not kept My Law. ¹² You too have done evil, even ^(C)more than your forefathers; for behold, each one of you is following the ^(D)stubbornness of his own ^(E)evil heart, without listening to Me.

²¹ The Lord ^(A)smelled the soothing aroma, and the Lord said ^[a]to Himself, “I will never again ^(B)curse the ground on account of man, for ^(C)the ^[b]intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; ^(D)and I will never again ^[c]destroy every living thing, as I have done.

²⁴ Yet they ^(A)did not obey or incline their ear, but walked by their own advice and in the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and they ^[a](B)went backward and not forward.

¹⁸ But ^(A)the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person. ^19 (B)For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and ^[a]slanderous statements.