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Proverbs 18:21
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
Proverbs 18:21, King James Version (KJV)
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.”
World English Bible (WEB)
Proverbs 18 (KJV)
- 1Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
- 2A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
- 3When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.
- 4The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
- 5It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
- 6A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
- 7A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
- 8The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
- 9He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
- 10The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
- 11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
- 12Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
- 13He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
- 14The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?
- 15The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
- 16A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
- 17He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
- 18The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
- 19A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
- 20A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
- 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
- 22Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
- 23The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
- 24A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Related verses
Passages that readers often connect with Proverbs 18:21, in the King James Version.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Matthew 12:35–37
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. …
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Proverbs 10:19–21
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. …
James 3:6–9
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. …
Proverbs 13:2–3
A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. …
More verses about speech
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1769 standardized text (eBible.org eng-kjv). Public domain outside the United Kingdom. Text courtesy of the Crosswire Bible Society and eBible.org. World English Bible Protestant Edition (eBible engwebp, 2026-09-15 snapshot). Public domain. World English Bible is a trademark of eBible.org. Text unmodified; footnotes and formatting omitted. Related verses: OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0), from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.