Matthew 12:34

Matthew 12:34 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
• New International Version (NIV)You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

Context of Matthew 12:34

32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come. 33Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The 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. 36But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

Matthew 12:34 word by word

γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, πῶς δύνασθε ἀγαθὰ λαλεῖν πονηροὶ ὄντες; ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας τὸ στόμα λαλεῖ.¶Read the interlinear

• You broodγέννημαgennēma · offspringG1081
• of vipersἔχιδναechidna · snakeG2191
• howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• can youδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• who areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• sayλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• anything goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• overflowπερίσσευμαperisseuma · overflowG4051
• heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750

Cross-references for Matthew 12:34

• Matthew 3:7But when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
• Matthew 23:33You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?
• Luke 3:7Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
• John 8:44You 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.
• 1 John 3:10By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
• 1 Samuel 24:13As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
• Psalms 10:6He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”
• Psalms 52:2Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.
• Psalms 53:1The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their ways are vile. There is no one who does good.
• Psalms 64:3who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows,
• Psalms 120:2Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.
• Psalms 140:2who devise evil in their hearts and stir up war all day long.
• Isaiah 32:6For a fool speaks foolishness; his mind plots iniquity. He practices ungodliness and speaks falsely about the LORD; he leaves the hungry empty and deprives the thirsty of drink.
• Isaiah 59:4No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case honestly. They rely on empty pleas; they tell lies; they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.
• Jeremiah 7:2“Stand in the gate of the house of the LORD and proclaim this message: Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who enter through these gates to worship the LORD.
• Romans 3:10As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.

Commentaries on Matthew 12:34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 34O generation of vipers - These are apparently severe words; but they were extremely proper in reference to that execrable people to whom they were addressed: the whole verse is an inference from what was spoken before. Out of the abundance (, the overflowings) of the heart - Wicked words and sinful actions may be considered as the overflowings of a heart that is more than full of the spirit of wickedness; and holy words and righteous deeds may be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 34O generation of vipers! - Christ here applies the argument which he had suggested in the previous verse. They were a wicked race; like poisonous reptiles, with a corrupt and evil nature. They could not be expected to speak good things - that is, to speak favorably of him and his works. As the bad fruit of a tree was the proper effect of its “nature,” so were their words about him and his works the proper effect of their nature. The “abundance” or fullness…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 33-37Verses 33-37 Men's language discovers what country they are of, likewise what manner of spirit they are of. The heart is the fountain, words are the streams. A troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring, must send forth muddy and unpleasant streams. Nothing but the salt of grace, cast into the spring, will heal the waters, season the speech, and purify the corrupt communication. An evil man has an evil treasure in his heart, and out of it brings forth evil…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 33-37Jesus addressed the main issue. The Pharisees did not accept him or believe his work came from God because they were wicked (see 7:15–27).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3434. O generation of vipers--(See on Mt 3:7). how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh--a principle obvious enough, yet of deepest significance and vast application. In Lu 6:45 we find it uttered as part of the discourse delivered after the choice of the apostles.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 12:34

• Depravity of Man
• Heart
• Jesus, the Christ
• Miracles
• Regeneration
• Sin
• Speaking
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Adulterous
• Condemn
• Desolation
• Heart
• Idle
• Judgment
• Restore
• Sin
• Viper
• Wither

Commentaries on Matthew 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings