Limitless Word
She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
Proverbs 31:26 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB She opens her mouth with wisdom. Faithful instruction is on her tongue.
  • KJV She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
  • BSB She opens her mouth with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
  • NKJV She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
  • NLT When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.

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

She speaks with wisdom, and faithful, kind instruction is on her tongue.

Overview

Her character shows in her speech, which is marked by wisdom and loving, trustworthy teaching. She uses her words to build up and instruct rather than to wound. Such gracious, wise speech embodies the wisdom Proverbs commends and reflects the kindness of the God whose words are truth and life.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 26

  • Eph 4:29Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.
  • Prov 16:24Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
  • Prov 10:31The mouth of the righteous produces wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
  • Prov 12:18There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.
  • 1 Pet 3:4–5but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.
  • Col 4:5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
  • Prov 31:8–9Open your mouth for the mute, in the cause of all who are left desolate.
  • Mal 2:6The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.
  • 1 Pet 3:8–9Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tender hearted, courteous,
  • Judg 13:23But his wife said to him, “If Yahweh were pleased to kill us, he wouldn’t have received a burnt offering and a meal offering at our hand, and he wouldn’t he have shown us all these things, nor would he have told us such things as these at this time.”
  • 1 Pet 3:1In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word;
  • Prov 25:15By patience a ruler is persuaded. A soft tongue breaks the bone.
  • Esth 8:3–6Esther spoke yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and begged him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.
  • Esth 5:8If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.”
  • Esth 7:3–6Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.
  • Luke 1:42–56She called out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
  • 1 Sam 25:24–31She fell at his feet, and said, “On me, my lord, on me be the blame! Please let your servant speak in your ears. Hear the words of your servant.
  • Song 4:11Your lips, my bride, drip like the honeycomb. Honey and milk are under your tongue. The smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
  • Acts 18:26He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside, and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
  • Acts 6:15All who sat in the council, fastening their eyes on him, saw his face like it was the face of an angel.
  • 2 Kgs 22:15–20She said to them, “Yahweh the God of Israel says, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me,
  • Luke 1:38Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” The angel departed from her.
  • 2 Sam 20:16–22Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’”
  • Song 2:14My dove in the clefts of the rock, In the hiding places of the mountainside, Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
  • Esth 4:4Esther’s maidens and her eunuchs came and told her this, and the queen was exceedingly grieved. She sent clothing to Mordecai, to replace his sackcloth; but he didn’t receive it.
  • Gen 24:18–20She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (7)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Proverbs videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Proverbs 31:26YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ProverbsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 31:26 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 Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.