| Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. | The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. |
| The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. | A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. |
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| Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. | Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. |
| Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. | Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. |
| Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. | Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. |
| A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. | The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. |
| I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. | But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. |
| Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent. | Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. |
| When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. | Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. |
| Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. | My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. |
| Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. | Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. |
| To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is! | A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word! |
| A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. | A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. |
| Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. | Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. |
| For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. | We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. |
| The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. | Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. |
| Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. | A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. |
| From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. | Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. |
| My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. | My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. |
| If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. | If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. |
| Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. | What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. |
| Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. | Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. |
| Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. | If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. |
| Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. | Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. |
| Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. | In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. |
