²⁹ Let no evil talk come out of your mouths but only what is good for building up,^[a] as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.

⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.^(A)

¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

⁸ But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive^[a] language from your mouth.^{(A) 9} Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices

³⁴ You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.^{(A) 35} The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure. ³⁶ I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter, ³⁷ for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

² For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is mature,^[a] able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.^{(A) 3} If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. ⁴ Or look at ships: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a such a small fire!^{(B) 6} And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of life, and is itself set on fire by hell.^{[b](C) 7} For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue—a restless^[c] evil, full of deadly poison.^(D)