55 Bible Verses about Speech, Power And Significance Of

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those that love it shall eat its fruit.

My brethren, make not unto yourselves many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For we all offend in many things. If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to govern the whole body with restraint. Behold, we put bits (or restraint) in the horses' mouths to persuade them, and we govern their whole body.read more.
Behold also the ships, which though they are so great are driven of fierce winds, yet they are governed with a very small rudder, wherever the governor desires. In the same manner, the tongue is a very small member and boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every nature of beasts and of birds and of serpents and of beings in the sea may be tamed and is tamed by mankind, but no man can tame the tongue, which is an evil that cannot be restrained and is full of deadly poison. With it we bless God, even the Father; and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a fountain send forth at the same place both sweet and bitter water? Can the fig tree, my brethren, produce olive berries? or the vine, figs? In the same manner no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

The tongue of the wise shall adorn wisdom, but the mouth of fools shall speak foolishness.

The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips, but the just shall come out of the tribulation. Man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, and the recompense of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

As for the head of those that compass me about, let the perversion of their own lips cover them.

Wise men keep knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near unto calamity.

He that keeps his mouth keeps his life: but he that opens his lips often shall have calamity.

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for strokes. A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

Whosoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbour, but the just are delivered with wisdom.

How long will ye anguish my soul and break me in pieces with words?

He has put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him; he has defiled his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.

My soul is among lions, and I lie even among those that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword.

Who whet their tongue like a sword and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words That they may shoot in secret at the perfect; suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not.

They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

The man of Belial digs in search of evil, and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life, but the mouth of the wicked covers violence.

The tongue of the just is as choice silver, but the understanding of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of wisdom.

The wise in heart is called a man of understanding; and the sweetness of the lips shall increase doctrine.

As an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is he who reproves a wise man who has a docile ear.

The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of the wise that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary; he wakes up early, early shall he awaken my ear, that I might hear, as the wise.

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for edification, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold inscribed with silver. As an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold, so is he who reproves a wise man who has a docile ear.

He that is void of understanding despises his neighbour, but the intelligent man remains silent. A talebearer reveals secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter.

But the sons of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him and brought him no presents. But he pretended not to notice.

In the multitude of words there is no lack of rebellion, but he that refrains his lips is wise.

He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he is silent is counted wise, and he that shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Never answer a fool according to his folly lest thou also be like unto him.

Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time, for it is an evil time.

But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Be silent before the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, he has bid his guests.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

So then faith comes by hearing, and the ear to hear by the word of God.

And with many other words he testified and exhorted, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation. So that those who gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And when they had appointed him a day, many came to him into his lodging, to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, procuring to persuade them of that concerning Jesus, the Christ, out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets, from morning until evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some did not believe.

but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to respond to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and reverence,

who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth, who, when he was cursed, did not return the curse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him that judges righteously;

But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God.

But he was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

And he did not answer him even a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

But Jesus yet answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled.

Then he questioned with him in many words, but he answered him nothing.

Therefore when Pilate heard that word, he was the more afraid and went again into the judgment hall and said unto Jesus, Where art thou from? But Jesus gave him no answer.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things, and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.read more.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

For there is no uprightness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in the mountain of thy holiness? He that walks in integrity and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart. He that does not backbite with his tongue nor do evil to his neighbour nor take up a reproach against his neighbour.read more.
In whose eyes the vile person is not esteemed; but he honours those that fear the LORD. He that swears to his own hurt and does not change. He that does not put out his money to usury nor take a bribe against the innocent. He that does these things shall never be moved.

And calling the multitude unto him, he said unto them, Hear and understand: not that which goes into the mouth defiles the man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man. Then his disciples came and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this word?read more.
But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a pit. Then Peter answered and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand that whatever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile the man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.

And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you and understand; there is nothing from outside the man that entering into him can defile him, but the things which come out of him, those are what defile the man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.read more.
And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he said unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not understand that anything from outside that enters into the man cannot defile him? Because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly, and the man goes out to the privy and purges all foods. For he had said that it is what comes out of the man that defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, come forth the evil thoughts, the adulteries, the fornications, the murders, the thefts, the covetousness, the wickedness, the deceit, the lasciviousness, the evil eye, the slander, the pride, the unwiseness: all these evil things come out from within and defile the man.

The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil, for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

If anyone among you thinks to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is vain.

And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without blemish before the throne of God.