What does the Bible say about bad language?
Bible Topic · WEB
The Bible calls believers to reject sinful, degrading, and careless speech, using words that honor God and build up others. Ephesians 4:29 teaches that our speech should give grace according to the need of the moment, while Colossians 3:8 tells Christians to put away obscene talk and abusive anger. Ephesians 5:4 warns against filthiness, foolish talk, and crude joking, replacing them with thanksgiving. Exodus 20:7 forbids taking the Lord's name in vain. Because believers belong to Christ and are temples of the Holy Spirit, as 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, their words should reflect holy hearts. Titus 1:11 also warns against deceptive speech that harms households.
Top passages, ranked by readers
Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Ephesians 4:29 25 votes
Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.
- Colossians 3:8 15 votes
but now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth.
- Ephesians 5:4 9 votes
nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate, but rather giving of thanks.
- Exodus 20:7 9 votes
“You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name.
- 1 Corinthians 3:16 6 votes
Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
- Titus 1:11 5 votes
whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.
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