Verse 21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love its use will eat its fruit.

Referenced Verses

  • Eph 4:29 : 29 You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it would give grace to those who hear.
  • Matt 12:35-37 : 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. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
  • Col 4:6 : 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.
  • Prov 10:19-21 : 19 When words abound, transgression is inevitable, but the one who restrains his words is wise. 20 What the righteous say is like the best silver, but what the wicked think is of little value. 21 The teaching of the righteous feeds many, but fools die for lack of sense.
  • Jas 3:6-9 : 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. 7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. 8 But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image.
  • Prov 10:31 : 31 The speech of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom, but the one who speaks perversion will be destroyed.
  • Prov 11:30 : 30 The fruit of the righteous is like a tree producing life, and the one who wins souls is wise.
  • Prov 13:2-3 : 2 From the fruit of his speech a person eats good things, but the treacherous desire the fruit of violence. 3 The one who guards his words guards his life; whoever is talkative will come to ruin.
  • Prov 18:4-7 : 4 The words of a person’s mouth are like deep waters, and the fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook. 5 It is terrible to show partiality to the wicked, by depriving a righteous man of justice. 6 The lips of a fool enter into strife, and his mouth invites a flogging. 7 The mouth of a fool is his ruin, and his lips are a snare for his life.
  • Eccl 10:12-14 : 12 Words and Works of Wise Men and Fools The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive. 13 At the beginning his words are foolish and at the end his talk is wicked madness, 14 yet a fool keeps on babbling. No one knows what will happen; who can tell him what will happen in the future?
  • Prov 12:13 : 13 The evil person is ensnared by the transgression of his speech, but the righteous person escapes out of trouble.
  • Isa 57:19 : 19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,” says the LORD,“and I will heal them.
  • 2 Pet 2:18 : 18 For by speaking high-sounding but empty words they are able to entice, with fleshly desires and with debauchery, people who have just escaped from those who reside in error.
  • Titus 1:10-11 : 10 For there are many rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections, 11 who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught.
  • Rom 10:14-15 : 14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written,“How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.”
  • 2 Cor 2:16 : 16 to the latter an odor from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?
  • 2 Cor 11:15 : 15 Therefore it is not surprising his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will correspond to their actions.