New King James Version
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 Living Translation (NLT)The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
Context of Proverbs 18:21
19A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle. 20A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. 22He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord. 23The poor man uses entreaties, But the rich 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 man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.
- Proverbs 10:20The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little.
- Proverbs 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.
- Matthew 12:35A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
- Romans 10:14How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
- 2 Corinthians 2:16To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
- 2 Corinthians 11:15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
- Ephesians 4:29Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
- Colossians 4:6Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
- James 3:6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
- 2 Peter 2:18For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
- Proverbs 10:9He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;
- Isaiah 57:19“I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries