Matthew 12:33-37

Words Reveal Character

33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for ¹the tree is known by its fruit.

34 "²You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? ³For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

35 "⁴The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.

36 "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in ⁵the day of judgment.

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

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 7:16-18; Luke 6:43, 44; John 15:4-7
• 2. Matthew 3:7; Matthew 23:33; Luke 3:7
• 3. 1 Samuel 24:13; Isaiah 32:6; Matthew 12:34, 35; Matthew 15:18; Luke 6:45; Ephesians 4:29; James 3:2-12
• 4. Proverbs 10:20, 21; Proverbs 25:11, 12; Matthew 13:52; Colossians 4:6
• 5. Matthew 10:15

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "good things"
• [b]. Lit "good things"
• [c]. Lit "evil things"
• [d]. Or "useless"
• [e]. Lit "will speak"
• [f]. Or "in accordance with"
• [g]. Or "in accordance with"