Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, August 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Read the Bible

Bishop's Bible

Proverbs 15:4

A wholsome tongue is a tree of lyfe: but the frowardnesse therof doth make sad the spirite.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Speaking;   Thompson Chain Reference - Perverseness;   The Topic Concordance - Life;   Perversion;   Speech/communication;   Tree of Life;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Trees;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Tongue;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Proverbs, Book of;   Spirit;   Tree of Life;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Breach;   Tongue;   Tree;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Tongue;   Tree of Life;   Whole;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Adam;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Life;   Tree of Life;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The tongue that heals is a tree of life,but a devious tongue breaks the spirit.
Hebrew Names Version
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, But deceit in it crushes the spirit.
King James Version
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.
English Standard Version
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
New American Standard Bible
A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
New Century Version
As a tree gives fruit, healing words give life, but dishonest words crush the spirit.
Amplified Bible
A soothing tongue [speaking words that build up and encourage] is a tree of life, But a perversive tongue [speaking words that overwhelm and depress] crushes the spirit.
World English Bible
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, But deceit in it crushes the spirit.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A wholesome tongue is as a tree of life: but the frowardnes therof is the breaking of ye minde.
Legacy Standard Bible
A tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,But perversion in it breaks the spirit.
Berean Standard Bible
A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
Contemporary English Version
Kind words are good medicine, but deceitful words can really hurt.
Complete Jewish Bible
A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but when it twists things, it breaks the spirit.
Darby Translation
Gentleness of tongue is a tree of life; but crookedness therein is a breaking of the spirit.
Easy-to-Read Version
Kind words are like a life-giving tree, but lying words will crush your spirit.
George Lamsa Translation
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, and he who eats of its fruit shall be filled with it.
Good News Translation
Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.
Lexham English Bible
Gentleness of tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it causes a break in spirit.
Literal Translation
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it is a break of the spirit.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A wholsome tonge is a tre of life, but he that abuseth it, hath a broken mynde.
American Standard Version
A gentle tongue is a tree of life; But perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.
Bible in Basic English
A comforting tongue is a tree of life, but a twisted tongue is a crushing of the spirit.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
A soothing tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a wound to the spirit.
King James Version (1611)
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but peruersnesse therein is a breach in the spirit.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
The wholesome tongue is a tree of life, and he that keeps it shall be filled with understanding.
English Revised Version
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A plesaunt tunge is the tre of lijf; but the tunge which is vnmesurable, schal defoule the spirit.
Update Bible Version
A gentle tongue is a tree of life; But perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.
Webster's Bible Translation
A wholesome tongue [is] a tree of life: but perverseness in it [is] a breach in the spirit.
New English Translation
Speech that heals is like a life-giving tree, but a perverse tongue breaks the spirit.
New King James Version
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
New Living Translation
Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
New Life Bible
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but a sinful tongue crushes the spirit.
New Revised Standard
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Gentleness of the tongue, is a tree of life, but, crookedness therein, a grievous wound in the spirit.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A peaceable tongue is a tree of life: but that which is immoderate, shall crush the spirit.
Revised Standard Version
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Young's Literal Translation
A healed tongue [is] a tree of life, And perverseness in it -- a breach in the spirit.
THE MESSAGE
Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.

Contextual Overview

4 A wholsome tongue is a tree of lyfe: but the frowardnesse therof doth make sad the spirite.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

A wholesome: Heb. The healing of the, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 16:24, Malachi 4:2

a tree: Proverbs 3:18, Genesis 3:22-24, 1 Timothy 6:3, Revelation 2:7

a breach: Proverbs 18:8, Proverbs 18:14, Proverbs 26:22, Psalms 52:2-4, Psalms 109:22

Reciprocal: Proverbs 10:20 - tongue Proverbs 10:21 - feed Proverbs 11:30 - fruit Matthew 12:35 - good man Colossians 4:6 - your

Cross-References

Genesis 17:16
And I wyll blesse her, and geue thee a sonne of her: yea, I wyll blesse her, and she shalbe [a mother] of nations, yea & kynges of people shall sprynge of her.
Genesis 21:12
And God sayde vnto Abraham, let it not be greeuous in thy sight, because of the lad and of thy bonde woman: In al that Sara hath said vnto thee, heare her voyce, for in Isahac shall thy seede be called.
2 Samuel 7:12
And when thy dayes be fulfilled, thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers, and I will set vp thy seede after thee, whiche shall proceede out of thy body, and will stablyshe his kingdome.
2 Samuel 16:11
And Dauid sayde to Abisai, and to all his seruautes, Behold, my sonne which came of myne owne bowels, seketh my lyfe: How much more then may this sonne of Iemini do it? Suffre him to curse, for the Lorde hath bidden him.
2 Chronicles 32:21
And the Lord sent an angel, which destroyed all the men of warre and the lordes and captaynes of the hoast of the king of the Assyrians, that he turned his face againe with shame towarde his owne lande: And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came of his owne body slue him there with the sworde.
Galatians 4:28
But brethren, we are after Isaac the chyldren of promise.
Philemon 1:12
Whom I haue sent agayne: Thou therefore receaue hym, that is, myne owne bowels,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A wholesome tongue [is] a tree of life,.... A tongue that delivers out salutary instructions, wholesome advice and counsel; a "healing tongue" w, as it may be rendered, which pacifies contending parties, and heals the divisions between them; to have the benefit of such a man's company and conversation is like being in paradise. Such is the tongue of a Gospel minister, which delivers out the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ; sound speech and doctrines, which cannot be condemned; healing truths to wounded consciences, such as peace, pardon, righteousness, and atonement by the blood of Christ. These are the means of quickening dead sinners, reviving and comforting distressed ones, and show the way of eternal life unto them;

but perverseness therein [is] a breach in the spirit; impure, unchaste, unsavoury, and corrupt language, does mischief to the spirits of men; evil communications corrupt the heart and manners, defile the soul and the conversation; these and unsound doctrines eat as a canker; and as they make the heart of God's people sad, whom he would not have made sad; so they bring distress and despair into the spirits of others, and make sad wounds and breaches there, which are never healed, and that both in the spirits of speakers and hearers; for damnable heresies bring swift destruction on the propagators of them, and them that receive them.

w מרפא "sanans", so some in Vatablus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A wholesome tongue - literally, as in the margin, the same word as “sound” in Proverbs 14:30 (see the note). A more literal rendering would be soundness of speech.

Tree of life - Compare Proverbs 3:18 note.

Breach in the spirit - With the sense of vexation (compare Isaiah 65:14).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Proverbs 15:4. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life — Here again is an allusion to the paradisiacal tree, עץ חיים ets chaiyim, "the tree of lives."


 
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