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

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.

⁶ The tongue also is a fire,^(A) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,^(B) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.^(C)

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.^(D)

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.^{(E) 10} Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

¹¹ What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them,^(A) but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”^(B)

²² “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words,^(A) you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow?^(B)