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19 You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.

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Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
    under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.(A)

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But as for the cowardly, the faithless,[a] the polluted, the murderers, the sexually immoral,[b] the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.8 Or the unbelieving
  2. 21.8 Or prostitutes

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a such a small fire!(A) And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of life, and is itself set on fire by hell.[a](B) For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless[b] evil, full of deadly poison.(C) With it we bless the Lord[c] and Father, and with it we curse people, made in the likeness of God.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.6 Gk Gehenna
  2. 3.8 Other ancient authorities read uncontrollable
  3. 3.9 Other ancient authorities read God

13 “Their throats are opened graves;
    they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of vipers is under their lips.”(A)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

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Swearing, lying, and murder,
    and stealing and adultery break out;
    bloodshed follows bloodshed.

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They all deceive their neighbors,
    and no one speaks the truth;
they have taught their tongues to speak lies;
    they commit iniquity and are too weary to repent.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 9.5 Cn Compare Gk: Heb they weary themselves with iniquity. Your dwelling

For your hands are defiled with blood
    and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies;
    your tongue mutters wickedness.(A)
No one brings suit justly;
    no one goes to law honestly;
they rely on empty pleas; they speak lies,
    conceiving mischief and bearing iniquity.(B)

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who whet their tongues like swords,
    who aim bitter words like arrows,(A)
shooting from ambush at the blameless;
    they shoot suddenly and without fear.(B)
They hold fast to their evil purpose;
    they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see us?[a](C)

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Footnotes

  1. 64.5 Syr Jerome: Heb them

21 with speech smoother than butter
    but with a heart set on war,
with words that were softer than oil
    but in fact were drawn swords.(A)

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12 It is not enemies who taunt me—
    I could bear that;
it is not adversaries who deal insolently with me—
    I could hide from them.(A)

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    you are plotting destruction.
Your tongue is like a sharp razor,
    you worker of treachery.(A)
You love evil more than good
    and lying more than speaking the truth. Selah(B)
You love all words that devour,
    O deceitful tongue.(C)

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The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit;
    they have ceased to act wisely and do good.(A)
They plot mischief while on their beds;
    they are set on a way that is not good;
    they do not reject evil.(B)

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They utter lies to each other;
    with flattering lips and a deceitful heart they speak.(A)

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
    the tongue that makes great boasts,(B)

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For there is no truth in their mouths;
    their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
    they flatter with their tongues.(A)

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