Build each other up
If you are a Christian believer, your words need to build other people up, and not tear them down.
Ours is an era of negativity. We watch news programs where people shout at each other.
We engage in Social Media, which it immerses us into negativity. In Social Media, sizzling negativity gets the most views. Social Media teaches us to thrive by being negative.
But the world of the Christian is different. We are not worldlings. We have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. We have the mind of Christ.
We should not speak negativity. Instead, we should speak what is helpful to other people. Our words should be vehicles of the Holy Spirit.
Saint Paul wrote about this:
Ephesians 4:29. 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. (New International Version)
There are three key phrases in that verse:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths
Negativity is unwholesome (NET Bible). It is detrimental to people’s wellbeing. It agitates them and erodes their inner peace.
Negativity is harmful (Good News Translation). It is harmful to people’s enthusiasm for the Small Group.
Negativity hurts other people (GOD’S WORD Translation). It hurts the unity of the Small Group.
only what is helpful
We are to speak what is good and helpful to other people (New Living Translation).
We are to speak things that will edify other people (Berean Literal Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, New American Standard Bible).
We are to speak words that will be useful for improvement (Aramaic Bible in Plain English).
that it may benefit those who listen
Our words need to be an encouragement to the people who hear us (New Living Translation).
Our words need to be good for building up other people (English Standard Version).
Our words need to be vehicles of grace to those who hear us (Berean Study Bible, English Standard Version, New King James Version).
We need to help others by what you say (Contemporary English Version)
Our words need to do good to those who hear you (Good News Translation).
Our words need to be a means of blessing to the hearers (Weymouth New Testament).
SIMILAR VERSES
Proverbs 4:24. Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
Proverbs 25:28. Like a city that is broken down and without walls is a man whose spirit is without restraint.
Sirach 6:5. Sweet words will multiply a man’s friends; And a fair-speaking tongue will multiply courtesies.
Ephesians 4:29. 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.
SEE ALSO
Say what is helpful for building others up according to their needs. Don’t waste your words. Say things that will minister to the people around you. But say those things according to the specific needs of each person.
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.