harsh words

The 17 most-voted verses about harsh words, from 6 books, ranked by the OpenBible.info community.

Proverbs 15:1

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A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

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A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

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A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Ephesians 4:29

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Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.

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Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

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Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Proverbs 29:11

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A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man holds it back.

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A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise [man] keepeth it in till afterwards.

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A fool vents all of his anger, but a wise man brings himself under control.

Proverbs 12:18

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Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

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There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise [is] health.

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There is one who speaks rashly like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise heals.

James 1:19–20

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19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

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19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

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19So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 20for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 15:18

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A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.

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A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but [he that is] slow to anger appeaseth strife.

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A wrathful man stirs up contention, but one who is slow to anger appeases strife.

Ephesians 4:31

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Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.

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Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

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Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice.

Psalm 37:8

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Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm.

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Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

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Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don’t fret; it leads only to evildoing.

Matthew 5:21–22

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21You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

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21¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

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21“You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones, ‘You shall not murder;’ and ‘Whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.

Matthew 5:43–48

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43You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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43¶ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the publicans so? 48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

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43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Ephesians 4:26–27

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26“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.

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26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil.

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26“Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, 27and don’t give place to the devil.

Ephesians 4:32

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Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

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And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

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And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:8

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But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

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But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

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but now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.

James 1:19

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My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

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Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

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So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

James 1:20

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for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

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For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

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for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

James 1:26

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If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.

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If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain.

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If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

James 3:5–12

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5In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

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5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter? 12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so [can] no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

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5So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! 6And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna. 7For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; 8but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God. 10Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.

Show all 8 verses

17 verses, from 6 books:

  • Psalm (1)
  • Proverbs (4)
  • Matthew (2)
  • Ephesians (4)
  • Colossians (1)
  • James (5)