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

32Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come. 33“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• O generationγέννημαgennēma · offspringG1081
• of vipersἔχιδναechidna · snakeG2191
• howπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• can yeδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• beingεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• evilπονηρόςponēros · evil/badG4190
• speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• good thingsἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• outἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• of the abundanceὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of the abundanceπερίσσευμαperisseuma · overflowG4051
• of the heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• the mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750

Cross-references for Matthew 12:34

• Matthew 3:7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath?
• Matthew 23:33Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?
• Luke 3:7When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath?
• John 8:44For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
• 1 John 3:10So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.
• 1 Samuel 24:13As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you.
• Psalms 10:6They think, “Nothing bad will ever happen to us! We will be free of trouble forever!”
• Psalms 52:2All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies.
• Psalms 53:1Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!
• Psalms 64:3They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows.
• Psalms 120:2Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people.
• Psalms 140:2those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long.
• Isaiah 32:6For fools speak foolishness and make evil plans. They practice ungodliness and spread false teachings about the Lord. They deprive the hungry of food and give no water to the thirsty.
• Isaiah 59:4No one cares about being fair and honest. The people’s lawsuits are based on lies. They conceive evil deeds and then give birth to sin.
• Jeremiah 7:2“Go to the entrance of the Lord’s Temple, and give this message to the people: ‘O Judah, listen to this message from the Lord! Listen to it, all of you who worship here!
• Romans 3:10As the Scriptures say, “No one is 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