Bible Strands
Matthew 12:37
For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks to the scribes and Pharisees immediately after warning that they will give an account on judgment day for every careless word they have spoken. This declaration concludes his address before the religious leaders respond by demanding a sign from Him.
The words — The Greek verb δικαιωθὴσῃ (dikaiōthēsē) literally means "you will be justified," while ἐκ (ek) denotes the instrumental "by." The text states that words function as the direct instrument for both justification and condemnation.
The thread — This linkage between speech and standing runs through Proverbs 13:3, which ties guarding the mouth to preserving life, and James 2:21, which grounds justification in concrete action.
Why it lands — The text requires a reader to treat their own speech as immediate evidence of their spiritual condition and future verdict. It demands active accountability for careless utterances rather than relying on abstract claims of faith.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 13:3 He who guards his mouth protects his life, but the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin.
- James 2:21 Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?