A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Parallel translations
- WEB The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things.
- BSB The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.
- NKJV A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
- NASB The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things.
- NLT A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A good person draws good from a good treasure, and an evil person draws evil from an evil store.
Overview
Words and deeds flow naturally from the moral treasury of the heart. This explains why outward reform is insufficient apart from inner renewal. The gospel addresses the heart itself, replacing the evil treasure with the good through new birth in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 15:4A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
- Col 4:6Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
- Prov 15:28The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
- Col 3:16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
- Prov 25:11–12A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
- Matt 12:34O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
- Eph 4:29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
- Prov 10:20–21The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
- Prov 16:21–23The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
- Prov 12:6The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
- Prov 15:23A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!
- Ps 37:30–31The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
- Prov 12:17–19He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.
- Matt 13:52Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 12:35 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.