When you keep your mouth shut and do not talk, you are safe from any harm. Your lips should be ready to answer so that the tongues of liars can be stopped. Where are your words now? The Bible teaches us to stay quiet when there is mischief afoot, for then our lips will be kept safe.
Read this article to find out more about some Bible verses that talk directly about the importance of keeping your mouth shut.
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Bible Verses About Keeping Your Mouth Shut
Proverbs 10:19 - “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”
Proverbs 10:19 reminds us of the importance of keeping our mouths shut. It emphasizes that speaking too much can often lead to sin. The verse encourages us to be wise by holding our tongues and refraining from unnecessary and harmful speech.
Bible Verses About Keeping Your Mouth Shut KJV
There are several Bible verses in the King James Version (KJV) that highlight the significance of keeping our mouths shut. One such verse is Proverbs 17:28 – “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” This verse teaches us that even a fool can be perceived as wise if they choose to remain silent. It emphasizes the importance of thoughtful and restrained speech.
Another verse in the KJV that reinforces this concept is James 1:19 – “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” This verse encourages us to be patient and measured in our words, demonstrating self-control and avoiding unnecessary conflicts.
Lord Help Me Keep My Mouth Shut Quotes
When we struggle with keeping our mouths shut, it is helpful to seek guidance and strength from the Lord. There are various quotes from the Bible that express this desire for divine assistance.
One such quote is found in Psalms 141:3 – “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” This verse acknowledges our need for God’s intervention to help us control our speech. It serves as a prayer for God’s guidance and protection over our words.
Another verse that aligns with this sentiment is Psalms 39:1 – “I said, ‘I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.'” This verse demonstrates a recognition of the potential harm our words can cause and the determination to take proactive steps to keep our mouths shut when necessary.
When God Blesses You Keep Your Mouth Shut Bible Verse
There are instances when God blesses us, and it is crucial to exercise discretion by keeping our mouths shut. The Bible provides guidance on this matter, reminding us to avoid boasting and to maintain humility in the face of blessings.
One verse that emphasizes this is Proverbs 27:2 - “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” This verse encourages us to allow others to acknowledge our blessings rather than boasting about them ourselves. It cautions against the pride and arrogance that can accompany self-promotion.
Another verse that aligns with this concept is James 4:6 – “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'” This verse reminds us that God’s grace is bestowed upon the humble, not the proud. It serves as a reminder to remain humble in the face of blessings and to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves.
Keep Your Mouth Shut – 20 Bible Verses
The Bible provides ample verses that emphasize the importance of keeping our mouths shut. Here are twenty verses that highlight this principle:
- Proverbs 10:19 – “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”
- Proverbs 17:28 – “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”
- James 1:19 – “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”
- Psalms 141:3 – “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
- Psalms 39:1 – “I said, ‘I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.’
- Proverbs 27:2 – “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.”
- James 4:6 – “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’
- Ephesians 4:29 – “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.”
- Proverbs 21:23 – “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”
- Proverbs 13:3 - “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”
- Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
- Proverbs 12:18 – “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
- Matthew 12:36-37 – “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
- Proverbs 16:24 – “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
- Ecclesiastes 3:7 – “A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.”
- Proverbs 20:3 – ”It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.”
- Matthew 15:11 – “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
- Proverbs 18:21 – ”Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
- Titus 3:2 - “To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”
- Proverbs 29:20 – “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
When to Keep Your Mouth Shut – Bible Verses PDF
For those who prefer a PDF format of Bible verses about knowing when to keep your mouth shut, you can find it here.
When God Shuts Your Mouth
There are instances in the Bible when God specifically shuts the mouths of individuals to accomplish His purposes. One notable example is found in the book of Daniel, where Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den for his faith. When God shut the mouths of the lions, they were unable to harm Daniel, demonstrating God’s power and protection.
Another instance can be seen in the New Testament, when Zechariah’s mouth was shut by God for doubting the angel’s message regarding the birth of his son, John the Baptist. Zechariah was unable to speak until John’s birth was fulfilled, teaching him a valuable lesson about trust and faith in God’s promises.
These examples serve as reminders that when God shuts our mouths, it is for a purpose. It may be to protect us, teach us, or bring about His divine plan. It is essential for us to trust in God’s wisdom and sovereignty even when we do not understand why our mouths are being shut.
When to Keep Your Mouth Shut PDF
If you are interested in a PDF document specifically discussing Bible verses on knowing when to keep your mouth shut, you can access it here.
Verses About Keeping Your Mouth Shut
Keep your mouth shut when the Bible tells you to and it will help you thrive. These Bible verses about keeping your mouth shut are great examples of what not to say and how to stand up for yourself respectfully by keeping quiet.
God’s word gives us a wealth of wisdom to deal with every aspect of life. This is true when it comes to our speech, as well. These Bible verses about keeping your mouth shut will help you improve your communication skills and keep you from making unnecessary errors or burning bridges with other people
What The Bible Says About Keeping Your Mouth Shut
We are loud people. Perhaps not in volume, but at least in volume. That is, we might not be yelling all the time, but most of us are broadcasting almost all the time. Broadcasting statements, pictures, videos to any and all who darken the doorway of our social media accounts.
Perhaps, then, the exhortations we find in Proverbs regarding our speech are not just applicable to our literal mouths and words; perhaps they are equally applicable to all the ways we broadcast ourselves.
Take, then, what we find in Proverbs 21:23: “The one who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”
Or Proverbs 13:3: “The one who guards his mouth protects his life; the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.”
There is wisdom in keeping your mouth shut. Certainly not all the time, but also certainly more than most of us do. But doing so is much, much easier said than done. In a society of hot takes, in a world of instant opinion and reaction, and in a culture where the loudest voice seems to always win, the temptation is there to broadcast. Immediately. And loudly. In thinking through the contrary voice of wisdom in Proverbs, then, I see at least three spiritual reasons why it’s a good idea to keep my mouth shut more often.
1. To serve others
Often times, my quick speech betrays my self-focus. The only way, after all, I could speak so quickly after someone else is if I’ve been considering my clever retort while they have been speaking instead of actually listening to them. Conversely, If I consciously made the choice to keep my mouth closed, then I would find much more intellectual energy available to truly listen and process what someone else is saying. My silence, then, is a way I can truly serve others, for true service is more than simply doing something for someone else; it’s thinking of someone as better than myself. Surely a great beginning point of that kind of service is actively choosing their words over my own.
2. To acknowledge my lack
There is another verse in Proverbs that speaks well here: “Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent, discerning when he seals his lips” (Proverbs 17:28). My dad used to rephrase this Proverb like this – “Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” In other words, it’s smart to keep your mouth shut because if you open it, all you’re going to do is show your ignorance about a particular topic, person, or issue. But if I know this about myself – that I am not the smartest, most clever, or most wise person in the room, then keeping my mouth shut is not some kind of savvy power play. It’s an actual acknowledgment on my part that I don’t have anything of value to add at that moment. And that’s okay. It’s far better, in fact, than opening my mouth just to try and prove myself to a room full of people.
3. To embrace the Spirit’s work
One of other reasons I speak quickly is because I am uncomfortable with silence. I’m the guy that will always speak up in a room, not because I necessarily have anything of value to say, but because I’ll do just about anything to avoid the awkwardness that comes from silence. This is a problem, because it’s during these pregnant silences when the Holy Spirit does good and eternal work. There are those moments when someone might be convicted of their sin. They might feel genuine sadness over a situation in their lives. They might contemplate questions of the highest order. And I might, in an effort to relieve the awkwardness of silence, stand in the way of that good and lasting soul work that needs to happen. Here, too, the wisdom of Proverbs hits home with me.
Quietness of speech, then, is not some kind of social awkwardness. Or at least it’s not when that quietness has been cultivated intentionally as a part of growing as a disciple of Jesus. Instead, this quietness marks the one who is confident in Jesus and His power, and simultaneously aware of their own great deficiencies. And that is a wonderful place to be, for this is where the gospel meets us again and again.
When God Blesses You Keep Your Mouth Shut Bible Verse
Revelation 21:8 ESV / 97 helpful votes
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Psalm 52:2-9 ESV / 97 helpful votes
Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah The righteous shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, saying, …
Proverbs 11:9 ESV / 96 helpful votes
With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
Luke 8:13-16 ESV / 95 helpful votes
And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.
Proverbs 25:23 ESV / 94 helpful votes
The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.
Psalm 51:6 ESV / 93 helpful votes
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
James 3:13 ESV / 92 helpful votes
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
1 Timothy 2:1-15 ESV / 91 helpful votes
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, …
Proverbs 25:28 ESV / 90 helpful votes
A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
James 3:3 ESV / 89 helpful votes
If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.
Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 88 helpful votes
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, …
Proverbs 26:17-28 ESV / 88 helpful votes
Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears. Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!” For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. …
Psalm 15:1-5 ESV / 86 helpful votes
A Psalm of David. O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
Colossians 3:7-8 ESV / 84 helpful votes
In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Ephesians 4:1-32 ESV / 84 helpful votes
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, …
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ESV / 81 helpful votes
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— …
Proverbs 15:23 ESV / 81 helpful votes
To make an apt answer is a joy to a man, and a word in season, how good it is!
Proverbs 16:24 ESV / 80 helpful votes
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Mark 7:1-37 ESV / 79 helpful votes
Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” …
Job 13:10 ESV / 79 helpful votes
He will surely rebuke you if in secret you show partiality.
Proverbs 26:27-28 ESV / 78 helpful votes
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
1 Corinthians 4:1-21 ESV / 75 helpful votes
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. …
Titus 2:3-5 ESV / 74 helpful votes
Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.
James 1:21 ESV / 73 helpful votes
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
John 3:16-17 ESV / 73 helpful votes
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Proverbs 12:17-23 ESV / 71 helpful votes
Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit. There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy. No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. …
John 13:35 ESV / 69 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
When God Shuts Your Mouth
Proverbs 21:23 ESV / 2,347 helpful votes
Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
Ephesians 4:29 ESV / 2,111 helpful votes
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.
Proverbs 15:1 ESV / 1,552 helpful votes
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
James 1:26 ESV / 1,432 helpful votes
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
Psalm 141:3 ESV / 1,412 helpful votes
Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!
James 3:2-10 ESV / 1,313 helpful votes
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. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. …
Proverbs 12:18 ESV / 1,289 helpful votes
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Psalm 34:13 ESV / 1,184 helpful votes
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
Proverbs 18:21 ESV / 1,030 helpful votes
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
1 Peter 3:10 ESV / 970 helpful votes
For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;
Proverbs 17:28 ESV / 960 helpful votes
Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Proverbs 15:4 ESV / 910 helpful votes
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Matthew 15:11 ESV / 715 helpful votes
It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
James 3:10 ESV / 661 helpful votes
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
Matthew 12:33-37 ESV / 649 helpful votes
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Proverbs 10:19 ESV / 642 helpful votes
When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
Titus 3:2 ESV / 590 helpful votes
To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.
James 3:1-18 ESV / 588 helpful votes
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 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. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! …
Psalm 52:2 ESV / 492 helpful votes
Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
Proverbs 17:9 ESV / 449 helpful votes
Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.
Exodus 14:14 ESV / 412 helpful votes
The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
Psalm 37:30 ESV / 394 helpful votes
The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
James 1:19-20 ESV / 384 helpful votes
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Proverbs 26:20 ESV / 379 helpful votes
For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
James 3:2 ESV / 376 helpful votes
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.
Colossians 4:6 ESV / 364 helpful votes
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Psalm 39:1 ESV / 354 helpful votes
To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
James 4:1-17 ESV / 336 helpful votes
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? …
Ecclesiastes 3:7 ESV / 327 helpful votes
A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
James 3:5 ESV / 323 helpful votes
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
James 3:8 ESV / 317 helpful votes
But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
James 3:1-12 ESV / 303 helpful votes
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 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. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! …
Psalm 19:14 ESV / 259 helpful votes
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
1 Peter 2:1-25 ESV / 257 helpful votes
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. …
James 3:11 ESV / 247 helpful votes
Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?
Proverbs 15:28 ESV / 226 helpful votes
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
1 John 2:1-29 ESV / 223 helpful votes
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: …
Proverbs 10:18 ESV / 222 helpful votes
The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.
Proverbs 31:26 ESV / 207 helpful votes
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
James 3:6 ESV / 194 helpful votes
And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
Proverbs 17:27-28 ESV / 188 helpful votes
Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Isaiah 54:17 ESV / 187 helpful votes
No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
Matthew 12:34 ESV / 183 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful
You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Bible Verses About Words Of The Mouth
Matthew 23:1-39 ESV / 179 helpful votes
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, …
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 ESV / 176 helpful votes
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; …
James 1:1-27 ESV / 164 helpful votes
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. …
James 3:1 ESV / 161 helpful votes
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
James 3:9 ESV / 143 helpful votes
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.
Proverbs 6:16-19 ESV / 141 helpful votes
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Galatians 5:16 ESV / 136 helpful votes
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Romans 7:1-25 ESV / 136 helpful votes
Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. …
James 2:1-26 ESV / 131 helpful votes
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? …
James 1:19 ESV / 130 helpful votes
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
Job 27:4 ESV / 128 helpful votes
My lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit.
Psalm 35:28 ESV / 125 helpful votes
Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.
Psalm 12:4 ESV / 125 helpful votes
Those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?”
Matthew 12:36 ESV / 124 helpful votes
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
Proverbs 10:31 ESV / 122 helpful votes
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
Romans 3:13 ESV / 120 helpful votes
“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”
Matthew 15:18 ESV / 118 helpful votes
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
Matthew 12:36-37 ESV / 118 helpful votes
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Isaiah 1:1-31 ESV / 115 helpful votes
The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. …
Psalm 139:4 ESV / 115 helpful votes
Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
1 Corinthians 2:1-16 ESV / 114 helpful votes
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. …
Psalm 119:171-173 ESV / 113 helpful votes
My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes. My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right. Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
Romans 12:1-21 ESV / 108 helpful votes
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. …
Proverbs 29:20 ESV / 107 helpful votes
Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 25:15 ESV / 107 helpful votes
With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.
Proverbs 1:7 ESV / 106 helpful votes
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Acts 20:1-38 ESV / 104 helpful votes
After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, …
Psalm 64:1-10 ESV / 103 helpful votes
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers, who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows, shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear. They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, “Who can see them?” …
John 3:1-36 ESV / 102 helpful votes
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. …
Psalm 15:3 ESV / 98 helpful votes
Who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend;