Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Parallel translations
- WEB Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.
- BSB Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
- NKJV Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
- NASB Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
- NLT The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
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
The tongue holds the power of life and death. Our words carry immense weight, and we will bear their consequences.
Overview
This well-known proverb declares that death and life are in the power of the tongue, and that those who indulge it will eat its fruit. Words can build up or destroy, bless or curse, and we are accountable for them. James develops this theme at length (James 3), and the gospel both warns of judgment for careless words (Matt. 12:36-37) and offers a renewed tongue that speaks grace through Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- 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.
- Matt 12:35–37A 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.
- Col 4:6Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
- Prov 10:19–21In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
- Jas 3:6–9And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
- Prov 13:2–3A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.
- Prov 10:31The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
- Eccl 10:12–14The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
- Prov 18:4–7The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
- Prov 12:13The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.
- Isa 57:19I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
- Prov 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
- 2 Pet 2:18For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
- Titus 1:10–11For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
- Rom 10:14–15How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
- 2 Cor 11:15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
- 2 Cor 2:16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 18:21 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
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