James 3:5

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.

³“They bend their tongue, as their bow, for falsehood. They have grown strong in the land, but not for truth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they don’t know me,” says the LORD. ⁴“Everyone beware of his neighbor, and don’t trust in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go around like a slanderer. ⁵Friends deceive each other, and will not speak the truth. They have taught their tongue to speak lies. They weary themselves committing iniquity. ⁶Your habitation is in the middle of deceit. Through deceit, they refuse to know me,” says the LORD.

⁷Therefore the LORD of Armies says, “Behold, I will melt them and test them; for how should I deal with the daughter of my people? ⁸Their tongue is a deadly arrow. It speaks deceit. One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart, he waits to ambush him.

¹⁸There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

²The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools gush out folly.

¹⁰They close up their callous hearts. With their mouth they speak proudly.

⁸They scoff and speak with malice. In arrogance, they threaten oppression. ⁹They have set their mouth in the heavens. Their tongue walks through the earth.

¹Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually. ²Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

²Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart. ³May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts, ⁴who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail. Our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?”

¹⁶These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts—and their mouth speaks proud things—showing respect of persons to gain advantage.

¹⁸Then they said, “Come! Let’s devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law won’t perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let’s strike him with the tongue, and let’s not give heed to any of his words.”