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

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.

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. ⁹ Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. ¹⁰ And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

¹¹ It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

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

²² “‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant,