Six ways to encounter God here
A passage is not only to be understood; it is to be lived with. Choose how you want to meet God in Matthew 12:34, and Living Bread opens it right there.
The passage in its setting
Meeting God in a verse begins with hearing it where it lives, in the flow of Matthew 12. Read it slowly, and let the focal verse settle into its own context.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
The web of Scripture around it
Where this passage echoes across the Bible, from the cross-reference graph, 14 connected Scriptures. Each one is a door to meet God there too.
- Luke 6:45
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 abunda…
- Matthew 15:18
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
- Ephesians 4:29
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.
- 1 Samuel 24:13
As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
- James 3:5
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
- Psalms 140:2
Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
- Isaiah 32:6
For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause …
- Matthew 12:35
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
- 1 John 3:10
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
- Romans 3:10
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
- John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh…
- Psalms 10:6
He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
- Psalms 64:3
Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
- Matthew 23:33
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
More to meet God in Matthew
How it points to Christ
Every Scripture ultimately leads to Jesus. See how the whole Bible points to Him in Christ in all Scripture, then meet Him for yourself.
