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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.

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34 You brood of vipers,(A) how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks(B) what the heart is full of.

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45 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. What you say flows from what is in your heart.

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45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.(A)

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18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you.

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18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart,(A) and these defile them.

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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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29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,(A) but only what is helpful for building others up(B) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

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13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you.

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13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,(A)’ so my hand will not touch you.

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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. 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]

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:6 Or for it will burn in hell (Greek Gehenna).

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.(A) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire,(B) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,(C) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.(D)

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.(E)

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10 So 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[a] does not belong to God.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:10 Greek does not love his brother.

10 This is how we know who the children of God(A) are and who the children of the devil(B) are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love(C) their brother and sister.(D)

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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.

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35 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.

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44 For 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.

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44 You belong to your father, the devil,(A) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.(B) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.(C)

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For 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.

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For fools speak folly,(A)
    their hearts are bent on evil:(B)
They practice ungodliness(C)
    and spread error(D) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty(E)
    and from the thirsty they withhold water.

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those who plot evil in their hearts
    and stir up trouble all day long.
Their tongues sting like a snake;
    the venom of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude

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who devise evil plans(A) in their hearts
    and stir up war(B) every day.
They make their tongues as sharp as(C) a serpent’s;
    the poison of vipers(D) is on their lips.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 140:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 8.

10 As the Scriptures say,

“No one is righteous—
    not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
    no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
    all have become useless.
No one does good,
    not a single one.”[a]
13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
    Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”[b]
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[c]

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Footnotes

  1. 3:10-12 Pss 14:1-3; 53:1-3 (Greek version).
  2. 3:13 Pss 5:9 (Greek version); 140:3.
  3. 3:14 Ps 10:7 (Greek version).

10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[a](A)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[b](B)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[c](C)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[d](D)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  2. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  4. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)

33 Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

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33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers!(A) How will you escape being condemned to hell?(B)

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