Proverbs 18:21
Good News Translation
What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words.

New Revised Standard Version
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Contemporary English Version
Words can bring death or life! Talk too much, and you will eat everything you say.

New American Bible
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who choose one shall eat its fruit.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.

death

Proverbs 18:4-7 Words from the mouth of a man are as deep water: and the fountain of wisdom is an overflowing stream. . . .

Proverbs 10:20,21,31 The lips of the just teach many: but they that are ignorant, shall die in the want of understanding. . . .

Proverbs 11:30 If the just man receive in the earth, how much more the wicked and the sinner.

Matthew 12:35-37 A good man out of a good treasure bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. . . .

Romans 10:14,15 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Or how shall they believe him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? . . .

2 Corinthians 2:16 To the one indeed the odour of death unto death: but to the others the odour of life unto life. And for these things who is so sufficient?

2 Corinthians 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers be transformed as the ministers of justice, whose end shall be according to their works.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth: but that which is good, to the edification of faith: that it may administer grace to the hearers.

Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be always in grace seasoned with salt: that you may know how you ought to answer every man.

Titus 1:10,11 For there are also many disobedient, vain talkers and seducers: especially they who are of the circumcision. . . .

James 3:6-9 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is placed among our members, which defileth the whole body and inflameth the wheel of our nativity, being set on fire by hell. . . .

2 Peter 2:18 For, speaking proud words of vanity, they allure by the desires of fleshly riotousness those who for a little while escape, such as converse in error:

and

Proverbs 10:9 He that winketh with the eye, shall cause sorrow: and the foolish in lips shall be beaten.

Ecclesiastes 10:12-14 The words of the mouth of a wise man are grace: but the lips of a fool shall throw him down headlong. . . .

Isaiah 57:19 I created the fruit of the lips, peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, said the Lord, and I healed him.

Context
The Selfishness of the Unfriendly
20Of the fruit of a man's mouth shall his belly be satisfied: and the offspring of his lips shall fill him. 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue: they that love it, shall eat the fruits thereof.22He that hath found a good wife, hath found a good thing, and shall receive a pleasure from the Lord. He that driveth away a good wife, driveth away a good thing: but he that keepeth an adulteress, is foolish and wicked.…
Cross References
Matthew 12:37
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Proverbs 10:19
The tongue of the just is as choice silver: but the heart of the wicked is nothing worth.

Proverbs 12:13
For the sins of the lips ruin draweth nigh to the evil man: but the just shall escape out of distress.

Proverbs 13:2
Of the fruit of his own month shall a man be filled with good things: but the soul of transgressors is wicked.

Proverbs 13:3
He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his soul: but he that hath no guard on his speech shall meet with evils.

Proverbs 21:23
He that keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from distress.

Isaiah 3:10
Say to the just man that it is well, for he shall eat the fruit of his doings.

Hosea 10:13
You have ploughed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity, you have eaten the fruit of lying: because thou hast trusted in thy ways, in the multitude of thy strong ones.

Proverbs 18:20
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