Logos Bible Study

Matthew 12:34–37

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34“aYou brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak 1what is good? bFor the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

35“aThe good man brings out of his good treasure 1what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure 2what is evil.

36“But I tell you that every 1careless word that people 2speak, they shall give an accounting for it in athe day of judgment.

37“For 1by your words you will be justified, and 2by your words you will be condemned.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1Lit good things
  2. 1Lit good things
  3. 2Lit evil things
  4. 1Or useless
  5. 2Lit will speak
  6. 1Or in accordance with
  7. 2Or in accordance with

Cross references

  1. aMatt 3:7; 23:33; Luke 3:7
  2. b1 Sam 24:13; Is 32:6; Matt 12:34, 35: Luke 6:45; Matt 15:18; Eph 4:29; James 3:2–12
  3. aProv 10:20, 21; 25:11, 12; Matt 13:52; Col 4:6
  4. aMatt 10:15

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

NLTNew Living Translation

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. A 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. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say good things when you are evil? For from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person from his good treasury brings out good things, and the evil person from his evil treasury brings out evil things. But I tell you that every worthless word that they speak, people will give an account for it on the day of judgment! For by your words you will be vindicated, and by your words you will be condemned.”

KJV 1900King James Version

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.