Verse 6

And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence– and is set on fire by hell.

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 16:27 : 27 A wicked scoundrel digs up evil, and his slander is like a scorching fire.
  • Mark 7:15 : 15 There is nothing outside of a person that can defile him by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles him.”
  • Mark 7:20-22 : 20 He said,“What comes out of a person defiles him. 21 For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly.
  • Matt 15:11-20 : 11 What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.” 12 Then the disciples came to him and said,“Do you know that when the Pharisees heard this saying they were offended?” 13 And he replied,“Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them! They are blind guides. If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him,“Explain this parable to us.” 16 Jesus said,“Even after all this, are you still so foolish? 17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then passes out into the sewer? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.”
  • Matt 12:32-36 : 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. 33 Trees and Their Fruit“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. 35 The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. 36 I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak.
  • Prov 15:1 : 1 A gentle response turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.
  • Ps 120:2-3 : 2 I said,“O LORD, rescue me from those who lie with their lips and those who deceive with their tongue. 3 How will he severely punish you, you deceptive talker?
  • Col 3:8-9 : 8 But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices
  • 2 Thess 2:9-9 : 9 The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders, 10 and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved. 11 Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false. 12 And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned.
  • Titus 1:11 : 11 who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught.
  • Jas 2:7 : 7 Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?
  • 2 Pet 2:1-2 : 1 The False Teachers’ Ungodly Lifestyle But false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. These false teachers will infiltrate your midst with destructive heresies, even to the point of denying the Master who bought them. As a result, they will bring swift destruction on themselves. 2 And many will follow their debauched lifestyles. Because of these false teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.
  • 2 Pet 3:3 : 3 Above all, understand this: In the last days blatant scoffers will come, being propelled by their own evil urges
  • 3 John 1:10 : 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to the deeds he is doing– the bringing of unjustified charges against us with evil words! And not being content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but hinders the people who want to do so and throws them out of the church!
  • Jude 1:8-9 : 8 Yet these men, as a result of their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and insult the glorious ones. 9 But even when Michael the archangel was arguing with the devil and debating with him concerning Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a slanderous judgment, but said,“May the Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these men do not understand the things they slander, and they are being destroyed by the very things that, like irrational animals, they instinctively comprehend.
  • Jude 1:15-18 : 15 to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These people are grumblers and fault-finders who go wherever their desires lead them, and they give bombastic speeches, enchanting folks for their own gain. 17 Exhortation to the Faithful But you, dear friends– recall the predictions foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 For they said to you,“In the end time there will come scoffers, propelled by their own ungodly desires.”
  • Rev 2:14-15 : 14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. 15 In the same way, there are also some among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
  • Rev 12:9 : 9 So that huge dragon– the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world– was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.
  • Rev 13:1-5 : 1 The Two Beasts Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, and on its heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority to rule. 3 One of the beast’s heads appeared to have been killed, but the lethal wound had been healed. And the whole world followed the beast in amazement; 4 they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying:“Who is like the beast?” and“Who is able to make war against him?” 5 The beast was given a mouth speaking proud words and blasphemies, and he was permitted to exercise ruling authority for forty-two months.
  • Rev 13:14 : 14 and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived.
  • Rev 18:23 : 23 Even the light from a lamp will never shine in you again! The voices of the bridegroom and his bride will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the tycoons of the world, because all the nations were deceived by your magic spells!
  • Rev 19:20 : 20 Now the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf– signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.
  • Ps 140:3 : 3 Their tongues wound like a serpent; a viper’s venom is behind their lips.(Selah)
  • Prov 1:10-14 : 10 Admonition to Avoid Easy but Unjust Riches My child, if sinners try to entice you, do not consent! 11 If they say,“Come with us! We will lie in wait to shed blood; we will ambush an innocent person capriciously. 12 We will swallow them alive like Sheol, those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit. 13 We will seize all kinds of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder. 14 Join with us! We will all share equally in what we steal.”
  • Prov 6:19 : 19 a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who spreads discord among family members.
  • Gen 3:4-6 : 4 The serpent said to the woman,“Surely you will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.
  • Lev 24:11 : 11 The Israelite woman’s son misused the Name and cursed, so they brought him to Moses.(Now his mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)
  • Num 25:2 : 2 These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
  • Num 31:16 : 16 Look, these people through the counsel of Balaam caused the Israelites to act treacherously against the LORD in the matter of Peor– which resulted in the plague among the community of the LORD!
  • Judg 12:4-6 : 4 Jephthah assembled all the men of Gilead and they fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because the Ephraimites insulted them, saying,“You Gileadites are refugees in Ephraim, living within Ephraim’s and Manasseh’s territory.” 5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Ephraim. Whenever an Ephraimite fugitive said,“Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked him,“Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said,“No,” 6 then they said to him,“Say‘Shibboleth!’” If he said,“Sibboleth”(and could not pronounce the word correctly), they grabbed him and executed him right there at the fords of the Jordan. On that day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell dead.
  • Judg 16:15-20 : 15 She said to him,“How can you say,‘I love you,’ when you will not share your secret with me? Three times you have deceived me and have not told me what makes you so strong.” 16 She nagged him every day and pressured him until he was sick to death of it. 17 Finally he told her his secret. He said to her,“My hair has never been cut, for I have been dedicated to God from the time I was conceived. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me; I would become weak, and be just like all other men.” 18 When Delilah saw that he had told her his secret, she sent for the rulers of the Philistines, saying,“Come up here again, for he has told me his secret.” So the rulers of the Philistines went up to visit her, bringing the silver in their hands. 19 She made him go to sleep on her lap and then called a man in to shave off the seven braids of his hair. She made him vulnerable and his strength left him. 20 She said,“The Philistines are here, Samson!” He woke up and thought,“I will do as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not realize that the LORD had left him.
  • 1 Sam 22:9-9 : 9 But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with the servants of Saul, replied,“I saw this son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob. 10 He inquired of the LORD for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” 11 Then the king arranged for a meeting with the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the priests of his father’s house who were at Nob. They all came to the king. 12 Then Saul said,“Listen, son of Ahitub.” He replied,“Here I am, my lord.” 13 Saul said to him,“Why have you conspired against me, you and this son of Jesse? You gave him bread and a sword and inquired of God on his behalf, so that he opposes me and waits in ambush, as is the case today!” 14 Ahimelech replied to the king,“Who among all your servants is faithful like David? He is the king’s son-in-law, the leader of your bodyguard, and honored in your house! 15 Was it just today that I began to inquire of God on his behalf? Far be it from me! The king should not accuse his servant or any of my father’s house. For your servant is not aware of all this– not in whole or in part!” 16 But the king said,“You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!” 17 Then the king said to the messengers who were stationed beside him,“Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, for they too have sided with David! They knew he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants refused to harm the priests of the LORD.
  • 2 Sam 13:26-29 : 26 Then Absalom said,“If you will not go, then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him,“Why should he go with you?” 27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him. 28 Absalom instructed his servants,“Look! When Amnon is drunk and I say to you,‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!” 29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king’s sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled.
  • 2 Sam 15:2-6 : 2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him,“What city are you from?” The person would answer,“I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Absalom would then say to him,“Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.” 4 Absalom would then say,“If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.” 5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him. 6 Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel.
  • 2 Sam 16:20-17:2 : 20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel,“Give us your advice. What should we do?” 21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom,“Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel. 1 The Death of Ahithophel Ahithophel said to Absalom,“Let me pick out twelve thousand men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night. 2 When I catch up with him he will be exhausted and worn out. I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee. I will kill only the king
  • 2 Sam 19:43-20:1 : 43 The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah,“We have ten shares in the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do! Why do you want to curse us? Weren’t we the first to suggest bringing back our king?” But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel. 1 Sheba’s Rebellion Now a wicked man named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He blew the trumpet and said,“We have no share in David; we have no inheritance in this son of Jesse! Every man go home, O Israel!”
  • 1 Kgs 21:5-9 : 5 Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him,“Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?” 6 He answered her,“While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him,‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said,‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’” 7 His wife Jezebel said to him,“You are the king of Israel! Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.” 8 She wrote out orders, signed Ahab’s name to them, and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders to the leaders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. 9 This is what she wrote:“Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. 10 Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify,‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 The men of the city, the leaders and the nobles who lived there, followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. 12 They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. 13 The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying,“Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death. 14 Then they reported to Jezebel,“Naboth has been stoned to death.” 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab,“Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he’s dead.”
  • 2 Chr 10:13-16 : 13 The king responded to the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the older men 14 and followed the advice of the younger ones. He said,“My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. My father punished you with ordinary whips; I will punish you with whips that really sting your flesh.” 15 The king refused to listen to the people, because God was instigating this turn of events so that he might bring to pass the prophetic announcement he had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king,“We have no portion in David– no share in the son of Jesse! Return to your homes, O Israel! Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” So all Israel returned to their homes.
  • 2 Chr 13:17 : 17 Abijah and his army thoroughly defeated them; 500,000 well-trained Israelite men fell dead.
  • Ps 64:3 : 3 They sharpen their tongues like a sword; they aim their arrow, a slanderous charge,
  • Prov 7:21-23 : 21 She turned him aside with her persuasions; with her smooth talk she was enticing him along. 22 Suddenly he was going after her like an ox that goes to the slaughter, like a stag prancing into a trapper’s snare 23 till an arrow pierces his liver– like a bird hurrying into a trap, and he does not know that it will cost him his life.
  • Prov 26:20-21 : 20 Where there is no wood, a fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, contention ceases. 21 Like charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious person to kindle strife.
  • Isa 30:27 : 27 Look, the name of the LORD comes from a distant place in raging anger and awesome splendor. He speaks angrily and his word is like destructive fire.
  • Jer 20:10 : 10 I hear many whispering words of intrigue against me. Those who would cause me terror are everywhere! They are saying,“Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!” All my so-called friends are just watching for something that would lead to my downfall. They say,“Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up, so we can prevail over him and get our revenge on him.
  • Jer 28:16 : 16 So the LORD says,‘I will most assuredly remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this very year because you have counseled rebellion against the LORD.’”
  • Matt 5:22 : 22 But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell.
  • Matt 12:24 : 24 But when the Pharisees heard this they said,“He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!”
  • Mark 14:55-57 : 55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find anything. 56 Many gave false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree. 57 Some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:
  • Luke 16:24 : 24 So he called out,‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this fire.’
  • Acts 5:3 : 3 But Peter said,“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land?
  • Acts 6:13 : 13 They brought forward false witnesses who said,“This man does not stop saying things against this holy place and the law.
  • Acts 20:30 : 30 Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them.
  • Rom 3:13-14 : 13 “Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
  • Rom 16:17-18 : 17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them! 18 For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.
  • 2 Cor 11:13-15 : 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.
  • Eph 5:3-4 : 3 But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. 4 Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting– all of which are out of character– but rather thanksgiving.
  • Deut 13:6 : 6 False Prophets in the Family Suppose your own full brother, your son, your daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend should seduce you secretly and encourage you to go and serve other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have previously known,
  • Prov 7:5 : 5 so that they may keep you from the adulterous woman, from the loose woman who has flattered you with her words.