Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.

Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.

Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.

But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.

A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

But avoid irreverent, empty chatter, which will only lead to more ungodliness,

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal. Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined. In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. . . .

Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.

Abstain from every form of evil.

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,

He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.

Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.

Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,

If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.

Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.

For no word from God will ever fail.”

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. . . .

Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.

By the sins of their mouths and the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride, in the curses and lies they utter.

Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.

Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.

for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “Listen and understand. A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.

When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether good or evil.

For the land is full of adulterers—because of the curse, the land mourns and the pastures of the wilderness have dried up—their course is evil and their power is misused.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, because the memory of them is forgotten.

The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.

Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.

A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.

But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. These are what defile a man, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile him.”

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

For the choirmaster. For Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me face to face, that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this so that no one will deceive you by smooth rhetoric. For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ. . . .

Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

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 and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints— the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel . . .

And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My right hand of righteousness.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

who speak of You deceitfully; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.