What Does the Bible Say About Holding Your Tongue?

James 3:1-12 ESV / 18 helpful votes

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. 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! ...

1 Peter 5:8 ESV / 13 helpful votes

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 13 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

1 John 2:1-29 ESV / 10 helpful votes

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: ...

James 1:1-27 ESV / 7 helpful votes

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ...

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / 7 helpful votes

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

James 5:16 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Acts 10:34 ESV / 6 helpful votes

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

Titus 2:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

John 21:25 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Luke 17:29 ESV / 4 helpful votes

But on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—

Mark 12:38 ESV / 4 helpful votes

And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces

Revelation 12:17 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ...

Romans 10:9 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

John 6:44 ESV / 3 helpful votes

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Matthew 5:29 ESV / 3 helpful votes

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

Proverbs 1:1-33 ESV / 3 helpful votes

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, ...

Numbers 22:18 ESV / 3 helpful votes

But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more.

Hebrews 9:27 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

2 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.

2 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Romans 1:1-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, ...

Acts 2:38 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

John 15:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

John 10:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes

If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—

John 8:44 ESV / 2 helpful votes

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 5:39 ESV / 2 helpful votes

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,

Mark 15:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Matthew 24:1-51 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ...

Matthew 13:24-30 ESV / 2 helpful votes

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ ...

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Matthew 2:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

Jonah 2:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes

At the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.

Jeremiah 4:23-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes

I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled. I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger. For thus says the Lord, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.

Isaiah 59:1-2 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Isaiah 57:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 14:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes

Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations.

38 Bible Verses about Holding Your Tongue

James 3:1-12 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 Peter 5:8 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16-17 ESV / 13 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

1 John 2:1-29 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 1:1-27 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 5:16 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 10:34 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Titus 2:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 21:25 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 17:29 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 12:38 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 12:17 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 10:9 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 6:44 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:29 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 1:1-33 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Numbers 22:18 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Hebrews 9:27 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Romans 1:1-32 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Acts 2:38 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 15:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 10:35 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 8:44 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 5:39 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Mark 15:34 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 24:1-51 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 13:24-30 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 2:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jonah 2:6 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Jeremiah 4:23-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 59:1-2 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 57:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 14:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Suggest a Verse

Enter a Verse Reference (e.g., John 3:16-17)