What Does the Bible Say About Vulgar Language?

Ephesians 4:29 ESV / 39 helpful votes

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.

Colossians 3:8 ESV / 32 helpful votes

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

Proverbs 13:3 ESV / 22 helpful votes

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Exodus 20:7 ESV / 22 helpful votes

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

2 Timothy 2:16 ESV / 18 helpful votes

But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,

Philippians 3:2 ESV / 12 helpful votes

Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

James 3:1-18 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ...

Philippians 3:8 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Galatians 5:12 ESV / 8 helpful votes

I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

Ezekiel 23:20 ESV / 8 helpful votes

And lusted after her lovers there, whose members were like those of donkeys, and whose issue was like that of horses.

Ephesians 5:4 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Matthew 23:13-33 ESV / 7 helpful votes

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ ...

Isaiah 64:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

James 1:26 ESV / 6 helpful votes

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

Matthew 5:37 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Luke 6:45 ESV / 5 helpful votes

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Proverbs 4:24 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.

James 3:10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Colossians 3:8-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Matthew 15:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes

It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

Matthew 12:36-37 ESV / 4 helpful votes

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Proverbs 21:23 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.

Psalm 19:14 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,

John 3:16-17 ESV / 3 helpful votes

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Matthew 15:10-11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

Psalm 141:3 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

Psalm 34:13-14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

28 Bible Verses about Vulgar Language

Ephesians 4:29 ESV / 39 helpful votes

Colossians 3:8 ESV / 32 helpful votes

Proverbs 13:3 ESV / 22 helpful votes

Exodus 20:7 ESV / 22 helpful votes

2 Timothy 2:16 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Philippians 3:2 ESV / 12 helpful votes

James 3:1-18 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Philippians 3:8 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Galatians 5:12 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Ezekiel 23:20 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Ephesians 5:4 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Matthew 23:13-33 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Isaiah 64:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes

James 1:26 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Matthew 5:37 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Luke 6:45 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Proverbs 4:24 ESV / 5 helpful votes

James 3:10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Colossians 3:8-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Matthew 15:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Matthew 12:36-37 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Proverbs 21:23 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Psalm 19:14 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes

John 3:16-17 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Matthew 15:10-11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Psalm 141:3 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Psalm 34:13-14 ESV / 3 helpful votes

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28 Bible Verses about Vulgar Language

Ephesians 4:29 ESV / 39 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 3:8 ESV / 32 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 13:3 ESV / 22 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Exodus 20:7 ESV / 22 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

2 Timothy 2:16 ESV / 18 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Philippians 3:2 ESV / 12 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 3:1-18 ESV / 10 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Philippians 3:8 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Galatians 5:12 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ezekiel 23:20 ESV / 8 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Ephesians 5:4 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 23:13-33 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Isaiah 64:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 1:26 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 5:37 ESV / 6 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Luke 6:45 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 4:24 ESV / 5 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

James 3:10 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Colossians 3:8-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 15:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 12:36-37 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Proverbs 21:23 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 19:14 ESV / 4 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

John 3:16-17 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Matthew 15:10-11 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 141:3 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Psalm 34:13-14 ESV / 3 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful

Suggest a Verse

Enter a Verse Reference (e.g., John 3:16-17)

Ephesians 4:29 ESV / 39 helpful votes

Colossians 3:8 ESV / 32 helpful votes

Proverbs 13:3 ESV / 22 helpful votes

Exodus 20:7 ESV / 22 helpful votes

2 Timothy 2:16 ESV / 18 helpful votes

Philippians 3:2 ESV / 12 helpful votes

James 3:1-18 ESV / 10 helpful votes

Philippians 3:8 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Galatians 5:12 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Ezekiel 23:20 ESV / 8 helpful votes

Ephesians 5:4 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Matthew 23:13-33 ESV / 7 helpful votes

Isaiah 64:6 ESV / 7 helpful votes

James 1:26 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Matthew 5:37 ESV / 6 helpful votes

Luke 6:45 ESV / 5 helpful votes

Proverbs 4:24 ESV / 5 helpful votes

James 3:10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Colossians 3:8-10 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Matthew 15:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Matthew 12:36-37 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Proverbs 21:23 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Psalm 19:14 ESV / 4 helpful votes

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes

John 3:16-17 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Matthew 15:10-11 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Psalm 141:3 ESV / 3 helpful votes

Psalm 34:13-14 ESV / 3 helpful votes