What does Ephesians 4:29 mean?
“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.”
Quick answer
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up — that it may give grace to those who hear.
What it means
Speech is not neutral. Paul says it either rots or builds. He wants the church to choose words that construct.
"Give grace to those who hear" is striking: our words can be a means by which God's grace reaches another person.
In context, Paul has just spoken of putting away lying and stealing. The new self speaks differently than the old.
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Original BibleDawn explanation · reviewed 2026-06-07. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.