30 Bible Verses to Help You Choose Your Words

Our words hold incredible power—they can build up or tear down, bring life or cause harm. The Bible repeatedly reminds us of the impact our speech can have on ourselves and others. We are urged to be careful with our words, to speak with grace, and to avoid negative speech like slander and gossip. Speaking words that are kind, encouraging, and wise can bring healing and strength to others, while reckless or harsh words can cause deep pain and strife. By guarding our tongues and choosing our words wisely, we align ourselves with God’s will and reflect His character in our everyday lives.

Below is a list of Bible verses that highlight the power of our words, what we should say, and what we should avoid, providing us with guidance on how to control our tongues effectively.

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV): “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Ephesians 4:29 (NIV): “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Proverbs 15:4 (NIV): “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”
Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV): “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words, you will be acquitted, and by your words, you will be condemned.”
Proverbs 21:23 (NIV): “Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.”
Proverbs 16:24 (NIV): “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
Ephesians 5:4 (NIV): “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”
Psalm 141:3 (NIV): “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
Proverbs 12:18 (NIV): “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Proverbs 15:1 (NIV): “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
James 1:26 (NIV): “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”
Colossians 3:8 (NIV): “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”
Psalm 34:13 (NIV): “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.”
Proverbs 18:6-7 (NIV): “The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating. The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives.”
Ecclesiastes 5:2 (NIV): “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.”
Proverbs 13:3 (NIV): “Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.”
Proverbs 10:19 (NIV): “Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.”
James 3:6 (NIV): “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”
Proverbs 12:25 (NIV): “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
Proverbs 17:27 (NIV): “The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.”
Matthew 15:11 (NIV): “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”
Colossians 4:6 (NIV): “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
James 3:2 (NIV): “We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”
Proverbs 10:11 (NIV): “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.”
Proverbs 29:20 (NIV): “Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”
1 Peter 3:10 (NIV): “For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.'”
Proverbs 18:4 (NIV): “The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.”
James 1:19 (NIV): “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
Proverbs 25:11 (NIV): “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.”
Proverbs 15:28 (NIV): “The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.”