19 You use your mouth for evil
    and harness your tongue to deceit.(A)

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His mouth is full(A) of lies and threats;(B)
    trouble and evil are under his tongue.(C)

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But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars(A)—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.(B) This is the second death.”(C)

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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)

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.(F)

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13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[a](A)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[b](B)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[c](C)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  2. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  3. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)

There is only cursing,[a] lying(A) and murder,(B)
    stealing(C) and adultery;(D)
they break all bounds,
    and bloodshed follows bloodshed.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:2 That is, to pronounce a curse on

Friend deceives friend,(A)
    and no one speaks the truth.(B)
They have taught their tongues to lie;(C)
    they weary themselves with sinning.

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For your hands are stained with blood,(A)
    your fingers with guilt.(B)
Your lips have spoken falsely,(C)
    and your tongue mutters wicked things.
No one calls for justice;(D)
    no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely(E) on empty arguments, they utter lies;(F)
    they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.(G)

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They sharpen their tongues like swords(A)
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.(B)
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;(C)
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.(D)

They encourage each other in evil plans,
    they talk about hiding their snares;(E)
    they say, “Who will see it[a]?”(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 64:5 Or us

21 His talk is smooth as butter,(A)
    yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,(B)
    yet they are drawn swords.(C)

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12 If an enemy were insulting me,
    I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
    I could hide.

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You who practice deceit,(A)
    your tongue plots destruction;(B)
    it is like a sharpened razor.(C)
You love evil(D) rather than good,
    falsehood(E) rather than speaking the truth.[a]
You love every harmful word,
    you deceitful tongue!(F)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 52:3 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 5.

The words of their mouths(A) are wicked and deceitful;(B)
    they fail to act wisely(C) or do good.(D)
Even on their beds they plot evil;(E)
    they commit themselves to a sinful course(F)
    and do not reject what is wrong.(G)

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Everyone lies(A) to their neighbor;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbor deception in their hearts.(B)

May the Lord silence all flattering lips(C)
    and every boastful tongue—(D)

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Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;(A)
    with their tongues they tell lies.(B)

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