Ephesians 4:29
27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- 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.
- ASV
- Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.
- DARBY
- Let no corrupt word go out of your mouth, but if [there be] any good one for needful edification, that it may give grace to those that hear [it].
- BLB
- Do not let any rotten word go forth out of your⁺ mouth, but if any [is] good for edification of the need, so that it may give grace to those hearing.
- ÅB
- Ingen råtten tale gå ut av deres munn, men slik tale som er god til nødvendig oppbyggelse, så den kan være til gagn for dem som hører på;
- OTB
- La ingen usunn tale komme ut av deres munn, men bare det som er nyttig for å bygge andre opp etter deres behov, så det kan gagne dem som lytter.
- B1930
- Ingen råtten tale gå ut av eders munn, men sådan tale som er god til nødvendig opbyggelse, så den kan være til gagn for dem som hører på;
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Read in context1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
Read in contextEcclesiastes 10:12
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
Read in contextProverbs 15:7
The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the hearts of fools.
Read in contextColossians 3:8–9
But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Read in contextMatthew 12:34–37
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Read in contextProverbs 25:11–12
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
Read in contextPsalms 37:30–31
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
Read in context