Christian Standard Bible
Ephesians 4:29
29No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Context of Ephesians 4:29
27and don’t give the devil an opportunity. 28Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. 30And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.
Read all of Ephesians 4Ephesians 4:29 word by word
Πᾶς λόγος σαπρὸς ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν μὴ ἐκπορευέσθω ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τις ἀγαθὸς πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν τῆς χρείας, ἵνα δῷ χάριν τοῖς ἀκούουσιν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Letἐκπορεύωekporeuomai · to departG1607
- ·πᾶςpas · allG3956
- noμήmē · notG3361
- corruptσαπρόςsapros · rottenG4550
- communicationλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- yourσύsu · youG4771
- mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- thatεἰei · ifG1487
- which isτιςtis · oneG5100
- goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
- toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- the useχρείαchreia · needG5532
- of edifyingοἰκοδομήoikodomē · buildingG3619
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- it may ministerδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
- unto the hearersἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
Cross-references for Ephesians 4:29
- Ephesians 5:3But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints.
- Psalms 5:9For there is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongues.
- Psalms 52:2Like a sharpened razor, your tongue devises destruction, working treachery.
- Psalms 73:7Their eyes bulge out from fatness; the imaginations of their hearts run wild.
- Matthew 12:34Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
- Romans 3:13Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues. Vipers’ venom is under their lips.
- 1 Corinthians 15:32If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus as a mere man, what good did that do me? If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.
- Colossians 3:8But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.
- Colossians 4:6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.
- James 3:2For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is mature, able also to control the whole body.
- 2 Peter 2:18For by uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped from those who live in error.
- Jude 1:13They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.
- Revelation 13:5The beast was given a mouth to utter boasts and blasphemies. It was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.
- Deuteronomy 6:6These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart.
- Psalms 37:30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom; his tongue speaks what is just.
- Psalms 45:2You are the most handsome of men; grace flows from your lips. Therefore God has blessed you forever.
Commentaries on Ephesians 4:29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Let no corrupt communication - . Kypke observes that signifies a useless, putrid, unsavory, and obscene word or conversation. Useless, particularly that which has been rendered so by old age and corruption. Putrid, impure; so Aristophanes in Lysistrat., p. 859, calls a bad woman : , · Tune, Spurca! balneum mihi parabis? Calumnious, or reproachful; whatever has a tendency to injure the name, fame, or interest of another. In short, it appears to mean any…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29Let no corrupt communication proceed - see the notes on 1 Corinthians 15:33. The word rendered “corrupt” ( ̀ sapros) means bad, decayed, rotten, and is applied to putrid vegetable or animal substances. Then it is applied to a tree that is of a useless character, that produces no good fruit; Matthew 7:17. Then it is used in a moral sense, as our word “corrupt” is, to denote that which is depraved, evil. contaminating, and may denote here anything that is…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-32Verses 29-32 Filthy words proceed from corruption in the speaker, and they corrupt the minds and manners of those who hear them: Christians should beware of all such discourse. It is the duty of Christians to seek, by the blessing of God, to bring persons to think seriously, and to encourage and warn believers by their conversation. Be ye kind one to another. This sets forth the principle of love in the heart, and the outward expression of it, in a…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29Believers should learn new ways of speaking that encourage others (see also 5:3–4, 12).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2929. corrupt--literally, "insipid," without "the salt of grace" (Col 4:6), so worthless and then becoming corrupt: included in "foolish talking" (Ep 5:4). Its opposite is "that which is good to edifying." communication--language. that which, &c.--Greek, "whatever is good." use of edifying--literally, "for edifying of the need," that is, for edifying where it is needed. Seasonably edifying; according as the occasion and present needs of the hearers require…Read the comment
Topics related to Ephesians 4:29
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ephesians 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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