Verse

Proverbs 18:21 — Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it…

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
Proverbs 18:21 · KJV

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Read it in context

The verses around Proverbs 18:21.

19A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

20A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

21Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

22Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

23The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

Read the full chapter of Proverbs 18 →

Verse explanation

The ‘fruit’ of the tongue treats words as something that produces a concrete outcome, the same way a tree bears fruit — whoever speaks carelessly will still reap the result of what he said, good or bad. It is one of the book’s most quoted lines about the practical weight of speech.

From the Proverbs 18 study in Bible in Stories.

Proverbs 18:21 in other versions

The same verse in the 4 Bible versions we have on the site.

In other languages: Português (Provérbios 18:21) · Español (Proverbios 18:21)

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