Ephesians 4:29
New Living Translation
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
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Colossians 4:6
New Living Translation
6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive[a] so that you will have the right response for everyone.
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- 4:6 Greek and seasoned with salt.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
New Living Translation
11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
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Ecclesiastes 10:12
New Living Translation
12 Wise words bring approval,
but fools are destroyed by their own words.
Proverbs 15:7
New Living Translation
7 The lips of the wise give good advice;
the heart of a fool has none to give.
Colossians 3:8-9
New Living Translation
8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.
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Matthew 12:34-37
New Living Translation
34 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. 35 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. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”
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Proverbs 25:11-12
New Living Translation
11 Timely advice is lovely,
like golden apples in a silver basket.
12 To one who listens, valid criticism
is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.
Psalm 37:30-31
New Living Translation
30 The godly offer good counsel;
they teach right from wrong.
31 They have made God’s law their own,
so they will never slip from his path.
James 3:2-8
New Living Translation
2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.[a]
7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
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- 3:6 Or for it will burn in hell (Greek Gehenna).
Proverbs 15:2-4
New Living Translation
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,
but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.
3 The Lord is watching everywhere,
keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.
4 Gentle words are a tree of life;
a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
Colossians 3:16-17
New Living Translation
16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
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Ephesians 5:3-4
New Living Translation
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.
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Proverbs 12:13
New Living Translation
13 The wicked are trapped by their own words,
but the godly escape such trouble.
Proverbs 10:31-32
New Living Translation
31 The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice,
but the tongue that deceives will be cut off.
32 The lips of the godly speak helpful words,
but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.
Matthew 5:16
New Living Translation
16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
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Proverbs 16:21
New Living Translation
21 The wise are known for their understanding,
and pleasant words are persuasive.
Isaiah 50:4
New Living Translation
The Lord’s Obedient Servant
4 The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,
so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Morning by morning he wakens me
and opens my understanding to his will.
Psalm 52:2
New Living Translation
2 All day long you plot destruction.
Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;
you’re an expert at telling lies.
Proverbs 15:23
New Living Translation
23 Everyone enjoys a fitting reply;
it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!
Luke 4:22
New Living Translation
22 Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
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1 Peter 2:12
New Living Translation
12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.[a]
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- 2:12 Or on the day of visitation.
Psalm 71:17-18
New Living Translation
17 O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood,
and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do.
18 Now that I am old and gray,
do not abandon me, O God.
Let me proclaim your power to this new generation,
your mighty miracles to all who come after me.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
New Living Translation
6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
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Romans 3:13-14
New Living Translation
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.