Christian Standard Bible
Proverbs 18:21
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
- New International Version (NIV)The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Context of Proverbs 18:21
19An offended brother is harder to reach than a fortified city, and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress. 20From the fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is filled with the product of his lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. 22A man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. 23The poor person pleads, but the rich one answers roughly.
Read all of Proverbs 18Proverbs 18:21 word by word
מָ֣וֶת וְ֭חַיִּים בְּיַד־לָשׁ֑וֹן וְ֝אֹהֲבֶ֗יהָ יֹאכַ֥ל פִּרְיָֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 18:21
- Proverbs 18:4The words of a person’s mouth are deep waters, a flowing river, a fountain of wisdom.
- Proverbs 10:20The tongue of the righteous is pure silver; the heart of the wicked is of little value.
- Proverbs 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, but a cunning person takes lives.
- Matthew 12:35A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.
- Romans 10:14How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher?
- 2 Corinthians 2:16To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. Who is adequate for these things?
- 2 Corinthians 11:15So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.
- Ephesians 4:29No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.
- Colossians 4:6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.
- James 3:6And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members. It stains the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
- 2 Peter 2:18For by uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped from those who live in error.
- Proverbs 10:9The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12The words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
- Isaiah 57:19creating words of praise.” The Lord says, “Peace, peace to the one who is far or near, and I will heal him.
Commentaries on Proverbs 18:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Death and life are in the power of the tongue - This may apply to all men. Many have lost their lives by their tongue, and some have saved their lives by it: but it applies most forcibly to public pleaders; on many of their tongues hangs life or death.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21Verse 21 Many a one has caused his own death, or the death of others, by a false or injurious tongue.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Life and death: Wise people speak thoughtfully (Proverbs 10:19; 11:12; 12:23) because they know words have consequences (13:3; 14:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. Death and life--or, the greatest evil and good. that love it--that is, the tongue, or its use for good or evil. eat ... fruit--(Compare Pr 18:19; Jas 1:19).Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 18:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries