Proverbs 10:21
The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
Cross-reference
Proverbs 10:31 says the righteous mouth brings forth wisdom — the very wisdom that feeds many, reinforcing the same truth.
Proverbs 10:11 calls the righteous mouth a fountain of life — the same image of nourishing speech, directly parallel to feeding many.
Proverbs 10:13 says wisdom is found on the lips of the understanding — explaining the source of the righteous lips' ability to feed many.
Proverbs 17:16 asks why a fool would buy wisdom when he has no sense—highlighting the same fatal lack of sense.
Proverbs 15:4 calls a soothing tongue a tree of life, parallel to nourishing many — both depict life-giving speech.
Proverbs 12:18 contrasts reckless piercing words with a healing tongue — similar to nourishing lips vs foolish death in Proverbs 10:21.
Proverbs 1:29 reveals the root cause: fools hated knowledge and rejected the fear of the Lord, leading to their death.
Proverbs 1:31 shows fools reap what they sow—they 'eat the fruit of their way,' making their death self-inflicted.
Proverbs 5:12 echoes the fool's confession: 'I hated discipline'—the same rejection that leads to lack of sense.
Proverbs 5:23 directly parallels: 'He dies for lack of discipline'—the same fate as dying for lack of sense.
In Proverbs 18:21, the tongue holds power of life and death—echoing how righteous lips feed many while fools die for lack of sense.
Proverbs 15:7 says wise lips spread knowledge — directly parallel to righteous lips feeding many with nourishing words.
In Proverbs 20:15, lips of knowledge are a precious jewel—mirroring the value of righteous speech that feeds many.
Jeremiah 3:15 promises shepherds who feed with knowledge—mirroring the righteous feeding many, both using feeding as teaching metaphor.
Hosea 4:6 says destruction comes from 'lack of knowledge'—the same cause as fools dying for lack of sense, applied to Israel.
John 21:15-17 commands Peter to feed Christ's sheep—echoing the righteous feeding many, applying the metaphor to pastoral care.
Romans 1:28 says those who reject knowledge of God are given a debased mind—parallel to fools dying for lack of sense.
1 Peter 5:2 calls elders to shepherd God's flock—parallel to the righteous feeding many, extending the feeding metaphor to church leadership.
Psalm 37:30 says the righteous mouth speaks wisdom—directly parallel to the righteous feeding many, both highlighting beneficial speech.
In Ecclesiastes 10:12, wise words win favor but fool's lips consume them—directly paralleling life vs. death from speech.
In Matthew 12:35, good treasure brings forth good—similar to righteous lips feeding many from inner goodness.
In Luke 6:45, the heart's abundance produces good speech—directly echoing righteous lips that feed many.
Ecclesiastes 12:9 shows the Preacher teaching knowledge—similar to the righteous feeding many through wise instruction.
Jeremiah 15:16 eats God's words as joy—parallel to the righteous feeding many, both portraying words as spiritual food.
Ecclesiastes 12:10 seeks words of delight and truth—paralleling the righteous feeding many with valuable, nourishing speech.
Job 23:12 treasures God's words above food—paralleling the righteous feeding many, both linking speech to life-giving nourishment.
Job 4:4 says Job's words supported the stumbling — similar to nourishing many with righteous speech.
In Job 4:3, Eliphaz recalls how Job instructed many — echoing the image of righteous lips nourishing many people.
Job 29:22 describes his speech dropping like dew—parallel to the righteous feeding many, emphasizing nourishing, gentle words.
Job 29:21 shows people silently waiting for Job's counsel—echoing how the righteous feed many through speech that others receive.