Matthew 12:34
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Jesus speaks this after the Pharisees attribute His power to Beelzebub, confronting their corrupt hearts as the source of their slanderous words.
What Does Matthew 12:34 Mean?
Jesus exposes a hard truth: our words flow from what fills the heart, so speech reveals the inner self. He addresses opponents who had just accused Him of casting out demons by evil power, and His sharp words confront their hypocrisy. The vivid charge "generation of vipers" pictures a brood whose speech carries poison because their hearts are corrupt. Then comes the principle that reaches far beyond this confrontation: "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Words are not random; they bubble up from the reservoir within. A heart full of bitterness, pride, or deceit will eventually betray itself in speech, just as a heart filled with goodness will overflow in words of grace. This means the cure for harmful speech is not merely guarding the tongue but transforming the heart. Jesus turns attention from symptoms to source. What we say in unguarded moments tells the truth about what we are. The verse calls each hearer to honest self-examination, asking what our words reveal about the condition of our heart.
In the Original Language
The Greek perisseuma ("abundance") means overflow or surplus; kardia ("heart") denotes the inner center of thought, will, and emotion.
Cross References
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”
- Luke 6:45
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
- Proverbs 4:23
“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”
- James 3:10
Application
Pay attention to what your words reveal about your heart, and seek God to fill your inner life with goodness that overflows into speech.