Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Tongue?

60 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Tongue in the Bible

Explore what the Bible says about tongue. This collection of 9 key Scripture passages reveals God's wisdom and guidance on this important theme.

60
Total Verses
21
Old Testament
39
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Tongue

  1. 1
    Genesis 10:5
    By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
    KJV
  2. 2
    Genesis 10:20
    These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
    KJV
  3. 3
    Genesis 11:1
    And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. language: Heb. lip. speech: Heb. words
    KJV
  4. 4
    Genesis 11:2
    And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. from: or, eastward
    KJV
  5. 5
    Genesis 11:3
    And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. they said: Heb. a man said to his neighbour burn: Heb. burn them to a burning
    KJV
  6. 6
    Genesis 11:4
    And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
    KJV
  7. 7
    Genesis 11:5
    And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
    KJV
  8. 8
    Genesis 11:6
    And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
    KJV
  9. 9
    Genesis 11:7
    Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
    KJV
  10. 10
    Genesis 11:8
    So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
    KJV

Subtopics of Tongue

holding your tongue
our tongue
power of the tongue
speaking in tongue jesus
speaking in tongues
talking in tongues
Language
Confusion of
Gift of
Loquacious
Restrained by wisdom
Hasty
An evil

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Tongue? (21 Verses)

By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. language: Heb. lip. speech: Heb. words
And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. from: or, eastward
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. they said: Heb. a man said to his neighbour burn: Heb. burn them to a burning
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. Babel: that is, Confusion
The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. a prating: Heb. a fool of lips fall: Heb. be beaten
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. A wholesome: Heb. The healing of the tongue
He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. an: or, a cool
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him. words: or, matters?
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Tongue? (39 Verses)

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. was: Gr. voice was made confounded: or, troubled in mind
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another , Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. diversities: or, kinds
Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
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. to: or, to edify profitably
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.
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. condemnation: or, judgment
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth .
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! a matter: or, wood
And 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. course: Gr. wheel
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind : kind: Gr. nature mankind: Gr. nature of man
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? place: or, hole
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number , of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

How to Study What the Bible Says About Tongue

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about tongue. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about tongue and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about tongue is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on tongue needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about tongue with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about tongue, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Tongue?

You have studied 60 verses about tongue. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about tongue?
Explore what the Bible says about tongue. This collection of 9 key Scripture passages reveals God's wisdom and guidance on this important theme. The Bible contains 60 key verses about tongue spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about tongue are there?
There are 60 key Bible verses about tongue compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about tongue?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about tongue is Genesis 10:5 — "By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations."
Where in the Bible does it talk about tongue?
Tongue is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 60 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

Continue Studying Tongue

Topics Included

This page consolidates Bible verses from 2 related topics:

tongue