using profanity
What does the Bible say about using profanity? These are the passages readers found most helpful — tap any citation to read it in context.
17 passages · most helpful first
8But now you must set aside all these things: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, and indecent speech from your mouth.
29Let no evil words proceed from your mouth, but only what is good, toward the edification of faith, so as to bestow grace upon those who listen.
36But I say to you, that for every idle word which men will have spoken, they shall render an account in the day of judgment. 37For by your words shall you be justified, and by your words shall you be condemned.”
10From the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so!
4nor any indecent, or foolish, or abusive talk, for this is without purpose; but instead, give thanks.
10And having called the multitudes to him, he said to them: “Listen and understand. 11A man is not defiled by what enters into the mouth, but by what proceeds from the mouth. This is what defiles a man.”
26But if anyone considers himself to be religious, but he does not restrain his tongue, but instead seduces his own heart: such a one’s religion is vanity.
23Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from anguish.
16But avoid profane or empty talk. For these things advance one greatly in impiety.
6And so the tongue is like a fire, comprising all iniquity. The tongue, stationed in the midst of our body, can defile the entire body and inflame the wheel of our nativity, setting a fire from Hell. 7For the nature of all beasts and birds and serpents and others is ruled over, and has been ruled over, by human nature. 8But no man is able to rule over the tongue, a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
15And the eloquence of my mouth will be so as to please, along with the meditation of my heart, in your sight, forever, O Lord, my helper and my redeemer.
7You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. For the Lord will not hold harmless one who takes the name of the Lord his God falsely.
3O Lord, station a guard over my mouth and a door enclosing my lips.
45A good man, from the good storehouse of his heart, offers what is good. And an evil man, from the evil storehouse, offers what is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
24Remove from yourself a corrupt mouth, and let detracting lips be far from you.
37But let your word ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ For anything beyond that is of evil.
14Prohibit your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 15Turn away from evil, and do good. Inquire about peace, and pursue it.