Matthew 12:34
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. | You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. | Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. |
In context
Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.
Original Greek words
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offspring | γεννήματα | gennēmata | G1081G | offspringγέννημα (gennēma) γέννημα, -τος, τό (γεννάω), [in LXX chiefly for תְּבוּאָה ;] offspring of men or animals: ἐχιδνῶν, Mat.3:7 12:34 23:33, Luk.3:7 (and elsewhere in Rec. for γένημα, which see).† (AS) |
| of vipers, | ἐχιδνῶν, | echidnōn | G2191 | snakeἔχιδνα (echidna) ἔχιδνα, -ης, ἡ [in OT (Aq.), Isa.59:5 * ;] a viper: Act.28:3; metaphorically, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, Mat.3:7 12:34 23:33, Luk.3:7.† (AS) |
| how | πῶς | pōs | G4459 | how?!πῶς (pōs) πῶς, interrog. adv., correl. of ὅπως, 1. prop., in direct questions, how?: with indic., Mat.12:29, Mrk.3:23, Luk.11:18, Jhn.3:4, al.; καὶ π., Mrk.4:13, Luk.20:44; π. οὖν, Mat.12:26; π. οὐ, Mat.16:11, Luk.12:56; in deliberative questions (cf. Bl., §64, 6), with subjc., Mat.23:33 26:54; π. οὖν, Rom.10:14; π. δέ, Rom.10:14, 15; before ἄν, with optative, Act.8:31. 2. As sometimes in cl. but more frequently and increasingly so in late writers (see WM, §57, 2; Bl., §70, 2; Thumb, MGr., 192; Jannaris, Gr., App., vi, 13f.), = ὅπως, ὥς; … |
| are you able | δύνασθε | dunasthe | G1410 | be ableδύναμαι (dunamai) δύναμαι, depon., [in LXX chiefly for יָכֹל ;] to be able, have power, whether by personal ability, permission, or opportunity: with inf. (M, Pr., 205; WM, §44, 3) pres., Mat.6:24, Mrk.2:7, Jhn.3:2, 1Co.10:21, al.; with inf. aor., Mat.3:9, Mrk.1:45, Jhn.3:3, 4 Rom.8:39, al.; with accusative, to be able to do something: Mrk.9:22, Luk.12:26; 2Co.13:8; absol., to be able, capable, powerful: 1Co.3:2 10:13. (AS) |
| good things | ἀγαθὰ | agatha | G0018 | goodἀγαθός (agathos) ἀγαθός, -ή, -όν, [in LXX chiefly for טוֹב ;] in general, good, in physical and in moral sense, used of persons, things, acts, conditions, etc., applied to that which is regarded as "perfect in its kind, so as to produce pleasure and satisfaction, . . . that which, in itself good, is also at once for the good and the advantage of him who comes in contact with it" (Cremer, 3): γῆ, Luk.8:8; δένδρον, Mat.7:18; καρδία, Luk.8:15; δόσις, Jas.1:17; μέρις, Luk.10:42; ἔργον (frequently in Pl.), Php.1:6; ἐλπίς, 2Th.2:16; θησαυρός, Mat.12:35; μνεία, 1Th.3:6 (cf. 2Ma.7:20); as subst., τὸ ἀ, that which is … |
| to speak | λαλεῖν | lalein | G2980 | to speakλαλέω (laleō) λαλέω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for דּבר pi., also for אמר, etc. ;] 1. to utter: of inanimate things, Rev.4:1 10:4; metaphorically, Heb.11:4 12:24. 2. to talk, speak, say: absol., Mat.9:33 12:46, Mrk.5:35, Luk.8:49; before ὡς, 1Co.13:11, Rev.13:11; εἰς, 1Co.14:9; ἐκ, Mat.12:34; with accusative of thing(s), Mat.10:19, Mrk.11:32, Jhn.8:30, al.; with dative of person(s), Mat.12:46, Luk.24:6, Rom.7:1, al.; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Mat.9:18, Jhn.10:6, al.; with prep., πρός, μετά, περί, Mrk.6:50, Luk.1:19 2:33, al.; ἐν, ἐξ, ἀπό, Mat.13:3, Jhn.12:49 14:10, al.; λ. τ. λόγον, … |
| evil | πονηροὶ | ponēroi | G4190 | evil/badπονηρός (ponēros) πονηρός, -ά, -όν (πονέω, to toil), [in LXX chiefly for רַע ;] 1. (a) of persons, oppressed by toils (Hes.); (b) of things, toilsome, painful (καιρός, Sir.51:12): Eph.5:16 6:13 Rev.16:2. 2. bad, worthless; (a) in physical sense: καρπός, Mat.7:17-18; (b) in ethical sense, bad, evil, wicked; … |
| being? | ὄντες; | ontes | G1510 | you areεἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. … |
| Out of | ἐκ | ek | G1537 | out fromἐκ (ek) ἐκ (ἐξ), prep. with genitive, from out of, from (see Addendum, p. 492). This entry is included here, but in the print version the entry is found on p. 492. ἐκ, before a vowel ἐξ, prep. with genitive, of motion outwards, separation from (opposite to εἰς; = Lat. e, ex), from out of, from among, from. I. Of Place, … |
| for | γὰρ | gar | G1063 | forγάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. … |
| overflow | περισσεύματος | perisseumatos | G4051 | overflowπερίσσευμα (perisseuma) περίσσευμα, -τος, τό (περισσεύω) [in LXX: Ecc.2:15 * ;] that which is over and above, superfluity, abundance: opposite to ὑστέρημα (which see), 2Co.8:13-14; pl., Mrk.8:8; metaphorically, π. τ. καρδίας, Mat.12:34, Luk.6:45 (cf. Ec, l.with; Plut., al.).† (AS) |
| heart | καρδίας | kardias | G2588 | heartκαρδία (kardia) καρδία, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for לֵבָב ,לֵב ;] the heart, 1. the bodily organ which is regarded as the seat of life ( 2Ki.18:14, 4Ki.9:24, al.). 2. In a psychological sense, the seat of man's collective energies, the focus of personal life, the seat of the rational as well as the emotional and volitional elements in human life, hence that wherein lies the moral and religious condition of the man (DB, ii, 317f.; DGG, ii, 344a); (a) of the seat of physical life ( Jdg.19:5, Psa.101 (102):5 103 (104):15): Act.14:17, Jas.5:5; … |
| mouth | στόμα | stoma | G4750 | mouthστόμα (stoma) στόμα, -τος, τό [in LXX chiefly for פֻּם ;] the mouth: of man, Mat.15:11, Jhn.19:29, Act.11:8, al.; of animals, Mat.17:27, 2Ti.4:17 (fig.), Heb.11:33, Jas.3:3, al.; figuratively, of inanimate things (ποταμοῦ, Hom.), ἤνοιξεν ἡ γῆ τὸ σ., Rev.12:16; σ. μαχαίρας (Heb. חֶרֶב ־פֶּה, Gen.34:26 al.), the edge of the sword, Luk.21:24, Heb.11:34; esp. of the mouth as the organ of speech: opposite to καρδία, Mat.12:34, Rom.10:8, 10; in various phrases (some cl., some resembling Hebrew; cf. Bl., § 40, 9): ἀνοίγειν τ. σ. (see: ἀνοίγω); σ. πρὸς σ. (פֶּה ־אֵל פֶּה Num.12:8; = cl., κατὰ σ., Hdt., al.), face … |
| speaks. | λαλεῖ.¶ | lalei | G2980 | to speakλαλέω (laleō) λαλέω, -ῶ, [in LXX chiefly for דּבר pi., also for אמר, etc. ;] 1. to utter: of inanimate things, Rev.4:1 10:4; metaphorically, Heb.11:4 12:24. 2. to talk, speak, say: absol., Mat.9:33 12:46, Mrk.5:35, Luk.8:49; before ὡς, 1Co.13:11, Rev.13:11; εἰς, 1Co.14:9; ἐκ, Mat.12:34; with accusative of thing(s), Mat.10:19, Mrk.11:32, Jhn.8:30, al.; with dative of person(s), Mat.12:46, Luk.24:6, Rom.7:1, al.; with accusative of thing(s) and dative of person(s), Mat.9:18, Jhn.10:6, al.; with prep., πρός, μετά, περί, Mrk.6:50, Luk.1:19 2:33, al.; ἐν, ἐξ, ἀπό, Mat.13:3, Jhn.12:49 14:10, al.; λ. τ. λόγον, … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.