For from within, out of the heart of men, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
In the previous verse Christ confirms the thought already expressed, so that it may be understood more clearly. In this verse He begins to list the sins that come from the human heart. He places “evil thoughts” first, because the deeds of sin are first born within inner thoughts, desires, and plans. Within the heart is formed what later becomes outwardly visible sin. Adulteries, sexual immoralities, and murders are mentioned here as fruits of the heart’s corruption. Thus the Lord shows that sin is not merely a series of outward, accidental actions, but the expression of the corruption of a person’s inner nature. If the root is not healed, the fruit will appear again and again. This verse humbles a person, because it reveals that the real problem is within, and that it is not solved by outward morality alone.