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Page Options 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it
shall eat the fruit thereof. Read full chapter Proverbs 18:21 in all English translations
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Buy Now View more titles Question Answer “The tongue” is used throughout Scripture in both literal and metaphorical ways, especially in Psalms, Proverbs, and James. The tongue is a “small part of the body” (James 3:5), yet Proverbs 18:21 says it “has the power of life and death.” This holds true whether we’re speaking of spiritual, physical, or emotional “life and death.” First, we should keep in mind that the word tongue is often a reference to the spoken word. This is a special kind of figure of speech called metonymy, in which one word stands in for another, closely related word. A common example of metonymy is seen in this sentence: “The White House issued a statement.” Of course, the White House, as a building, cannot issue statements; however, in this instance, White House refers to the President, who lives there. In the same way, when Proverbs 15:4 states, “A deceitful tongue crushes the spirit,” tongue is a metonymy. Obviously, a literal, fleshly tongue cannot crush the human spirit, but the words the tongue produces can. Spiritual: Physical: Emotional: Conclusion: Questions about Proverbs Is it true that life and death are in the power of the tongue? Subscribe to theQuestion of the WeekGet our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Where in the Bible that says life and death is in the tongue?Proverbs 18:21 confirms this by saying, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."
What does the tongue has the power of life and death mean?They can bring joy or cause misery. Proverbs 18:21 puts it this way: “The tongue has the power of life and death.” The stakes are high. Your words can either speak life, or your words can speak death. Our tongues can build others up, or they can tear them down.
What does the Scripture Proverbs 18 21 mean?Explanation and Commentary of Proverbs 18:21
According to this proverb, one should take care to watch his or her words carefully, and be slow to speak. Understand the power of speech. There is life and death in words. If you love to talk, you will eat the fruit of your words.
What does the tongue represent spiritually?Tongues are also indicative of the voice of the gods; In medieval Christianity and Oriental art, large,protuding tongues are often the sign of demons or the devil.
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