Proverbs 20:19

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.

For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

“You shall not spread a false report. Don’t join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.

Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

“Keep far from a false charge, and don’t kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked.

If he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood. His heart gathers iniquity to itself. When he goes abroad, he tells it.

One who brings gossip betrays a confidence, but one who is of a trustworthy spirit is one who keeps a secret.

in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.

Have no fellowship with the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather even reprove them.

you shall not consent to him nor listen to him; neither shall your eye pity him, neither shall you spare, neither shall you conceal him;

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends.

A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

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

It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.

Then you will call, and Yahweh will answer. You will cry for help, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away from among you the yoke, finger pointing, and speaking wickedly;

Their 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.

Yahweh says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; for those who feed their teeth, they proclaim, “Peace!” and whoever doesn’t provide for their mouths, they prepare war against him:

“Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber.

I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing.

For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,

We also speak these things, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.

For God’s Kingdom is not in word, but in power.

whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.

Now I say this that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech.

For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don’t work at all, but are busybodies.

For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.

For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a meddler in other men’s matters.

Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Of Zebulun, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, with all kinds of instruments of war: fifty thousand who could command and were not of double heart.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.

he who doesn’t slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his friend, nor casts slurs against his fellow man;

For you will save the afflicted people, but the arrogant eyes you will bring down.

Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.

When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and have participated with adulterers.

You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son.

Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

Yahweh, my heart isn’t arrogant, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.

whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.

An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips, but the righteous shall come out of trouble.

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

A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.

who tell the seers, “Don’t see!” and the prophets, “Don’t prophesy to us right things. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy deceits.

“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.

For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you! Even they have cried aloud after you! Don’t believe them, though they speak beautiful words to you.

Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood. In you they have eaten on the mountains. They have committed lewdness among you.

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy, and tell them, even the shepherds, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn’t the shepherds feed the sheep?

As for both these kings, their hearts will be to do mischief, and they will speak lies at one table; but it won’t prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time.

Now when they fall, they will be helped with a little help; but many will join themselves to them with flatteries.

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.

For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.

and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake.

constant friction of people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. Withdraw yourself from such.

He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

For we didn’t follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.

These are those who cause divisions and are sensual, not having the Spirit.

“ ‘You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people. “ ‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am Yahweh.

He who guards his mouth guards his soul. One who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.

A man of violence entices his neighbor, and leads him in a way that is not good.

A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.

The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.

My son, fear Yahweh and the king. Don’t join those who are rebellious;

Besides, they also learn to be idle, going about from house to house. Not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.

Now after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came, and bowed down to the king. Then the king listened to them.

He who denounces his friends for plunder, Even the eyes of his children will fail.

Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.

I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor. I won’t tolerate one who is arrogant and conceited.

My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.

Debate your case with your neighbor, and don’t betray the confidence of another,

The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.

A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.

My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),