Profitability and Cleanliness(Edit)

"And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”" - Matthew 15:10-11

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. ... Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. ... Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." - Ephesians 4:29,31, 5:4

"But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth." - Colossians 3:8

"A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity." - Proverbs 17:20

"I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." - Matthew 12:36-37

"But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness," - 2 Timothy 2:16

Consequences to the self(Edit)

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." - Proverbs 18:21

"Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble." - Proverbs 21:23

"Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin." - Proverbs 13:3

"A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul." - Proverbs 18:6-7

Proverbs 18:6-7 - A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

"For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." - Matthew 12:37

Effect on Our Relationship with God(Edit)

"With [our tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water." - James 3:9-12

"You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." - Matthew 12:34

Effect on Our Relationship to others(Edit)

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." - Proverbs 15:1

"Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another." - Ephesians 4:25

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." - Ephesians 4:29

"There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." - Proverbs 12:18

Effect on Our "Witness"(Edit)

"Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us." - Titus 2:7-8

"But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." - Ephesians 5:3

Hasty words(Edit)

"If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame." - Proverbs 18:13

"Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him." - Proverbs 29:20

Simple Speaking(Edit)

"Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil." - Matthew 5:37

"But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation." - James 5:12

Lying(Edit)

"Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit." - Psalm 34:13

"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out." - Proverbs 10:9

"Just kidding"(Edit)

"Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”" - Prov 26:18-19

Beware of Aspiring to Influence Others(Edit)

"Taming the Tongue Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways." - James 3:1

James's Summary(Edit)

"And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water." - James 3:2-12