* A sword is used as a metaphor for God's word. God's teachings in the Bible expose people's innermost thoughts and convict them of their sin. In a similar way, a sword cuts deeply, causing pain. (See: [Metaphor](en/ta-vol1/translate/man/figs-metaphor))
* One way to translate this figurative use would be, "God's word is like a sword, which cuts deeply and exposes sin."
* Another figurative use of this term is in the book of Psalms where the tongue or speech of a person is compared to a sword, which can injure people. This could be translated as, "the tongue is like a sword that can badly injure someone."
* If swords are not known in your culture, this word could be translated with the name of another long-bladed weapon that is used to cut or stab.