Do you cringe when you hear other people cussing or using the Lord’s name in vain? Or are you a cringy cussing Christian, someone who believes in Jesus as his or her Lord and savior but who has a foul mouth?

In Episode 51 of George Janko’s podcast, he held a discussion with the ladies from Girls Gone Bible who asked him impromptu about his self-admitted foul mouth. George stated that he indeed has a foul mouth, but, as a Christian, it isn’t a problem for him and he is not convicted by it.

The ladies from Girls Gone Bible shared their anecdotal testimony, claiming that God’s word says not to cuss, not to curse, and not to use foul language, declaring that upon fasting they became convicted about using foul language, tying it ultimately to two parts of Scripture, first in James (chapter 3, fresh water can’t mix with salt water) and then from the Gospels (Matthew 26, Mark 14, Peter denies Jesus three times and curses him, thus creating separation). They argue that cringy cursing Christians separate themselves from the Holy Spirit.

George then vowed at the end of the segment in his podcast to let that day be his last day in which he uses swear words.

Now, George’s vow was ironic since Jesus said, on the topic of swearing, not to swear but instead let your yes be yes and your no be no (Matt 5:37). Also, several assertions from Girls Gone Bible are cringeworthy: you can’t separate yourself from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39); Peter doesn’t separate himself from Jesus in actuality (John 21:15-19); James is talking about neither curse words, swear words, nor profanity but instead about tearing people down with the tongue (Js 3:1-12).

Ruslan responded and interacted with George’s podcast episode. He did declare that cringy cussing Christians are not going to hell but that God takes away this sort of language from his children over time, stating that there are things Christians should be saying and things that they should not be saying. Ruslan also stated that we will all give an account for what we say (Matt 12:36), and whether or not Paul used a swear word in Phil 3:8 is irrelevant because curse words are merely the tip of the iceberg and the issue is any language, swear words or not, and their use that cause Christians to sin. In other words, Christians not only should refrain from four letter words but also gossip, rumors, etc. He rested his argument on leadership and responsibility, saying that those in leadership have a higher degree of responsibility with how they use their words.

Ruslan spoke considerable wisdom here, and, generally speaking, I agree with what he is saying.

Those three YouTube channels are not the first to broach the topic. There have been many others. I will highlight two more.

First, Allan Parr of THE BEAT said that cursing comes down to intent, so that Christians are not to use their words, including swear words, to tear down others. He also said perception is important because one’s words are a witness, so be careful with your words. He warned also not to judge other Christians who might swear because every Christians’ words, whether curse words or not, may cause them to sin, and he pointed towards the heart issue (what comes out of the heart) instead of the word or mouth issue (what comes out of the mouth). Lastly, he challenged Christians to build up others with their words, essentially stating that anything that does not build up is a sin of the tongue. He cited Pr 18:21, Js 3:5, Eph 4:29, and Eph 5:4.

Allan’s argument was well rounded and, generally speaking, I agree with what he was saying.

Second, Michael Jones of Inspiring Philosophy in a YouTube Short said that culturally-based words are not themselves inherently sinful, but how a Christian uses any word is what matters. He pointed out 1 Cor 8 in the relationship of believers with others and how their actions and behavior in those relationships matter greatly. He pointed out that Is 57:8-10 used harsh language to get the message across, which highlights the fact that the issue is not with what words you say but the intent behind those words.

Michael’s argument, though brief, was, generally speaking, one that I would agree with.

So, from George to Girls Gone Bible to Ruslan, and to others, that’s how we got here. Many Christians have many viewpoints, hot takes, and opinions on the subject of cussing, cursing, profanity, foul language, etc. But, what does the Bible actually say about language?

The Biblical View of Language

First off, what does the Bible not say?

Using the NRSV English translation as a reference:

The Bible does not say, “Do not use cuss words”.
The Bible does not say, “Do not use curse words” (There is a possible exception with Rom 12:14, “bless and do not curse”).
The Bible does not say, “Do not use foul language” (There is a possible exception with Eph 5:14).
The Bible does not say, “Do not use profanity”.
The Bible does not say, “Do not use profane language” (There are two possible exceptions with 1 Tim 6:20 and 2 Tim 2:16, “avoid profane chatter”).

To understand the biblical view of language, we need to dive deeper than a concordance level of thinking.

So, what exactly are we talking about?

In the biblical view of language, we are talking about cuss words, curse words, profane words, obscene words, or foul words. These words include the English four-letter words. However, because of the nature of language, cussing is part of a broader topic of words, their meaning, and their use. In this broader topic, the biblical view of language not only includes cussing but also matters of lies, gossip, rumors, crude jokes, or speech unbecoming of a child of God.

There are many instances in the Bible that discuss this topic, and often they are concerned with false language or words that tear down others, God, or God’s chosen people. The Bible does not prohibit contemporary cuss words but does prohibit any speech or action that would disrupt the unity of the church or hinder the gospel.

So, let’s take a close look at what the Bible actually says. First, we will examine the various biblical texts relevant to the topic. Then, we will observe biblical examples of insults, cursing, and vulgarity. After analyzing what Scripture says, we will draw some conclusions, which will demonstrate that the Bible does not prohibit contemporary cussing. In the end, we will apply the freedom framework to the topic to make practical use of this information.

Unless otherwise noted, all semantic references below come from HALOT for Hebrew and BDAG for Greek, and all Scripture quotes are from the NRSV. In what follows, I will provide relevant Hebrew and Greek words or phrases, so it will help to have a basic understanding of the biblical languages (if you need to acquire such an understanding, I have free resources available to you: Basics of Biblical Hebrew; and Basics of Biblical Greek).

Exploring Scripture

Exodus 20:7

“You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.”

נשׂא (compare LXX λαμβάνω), means to bear, lift up, carry. This verse does not mean “thou shalt not take the Lord’s name in vain”, meaning, to say the name of the Lord flippantly. No, this verse points to something more. Literally, “Do not take the name of the Lord falsely”: the issue is with taking falsely. Falsely is שׁוא (LXX μάταιος, “unworthy”, “fruitless”, “useless”). This verbal root is tied both to magic and spells as well as broader evil and mistreatment. In this instance, it is vain (worthless) use to say the Lord’s name in an oath or magic spell and is prohibited as it constitutes abuse of the Lord’s name. In other uses, this verb is used of oaths and curses. Compare this verse with Deut 5:11. Also, compare the use of “name” with Ex 23:22. Lastly, compare the use of “take” with Ex 28:12. In short, this verse neither prohibits cussing nor using “the Lord’s name” as a cuss word (though why anyone would want to is baffling).

Exodus 20:16

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

ענה (LXX ψευδομαρτυρέω, bear false witness, give false testimony), to reply, give evidence, testify. עֵד (LXX μαρτυρία, testimony), a witness to a fact or an event who is to confirm something to be right or wrong. שֶׁקֶר (LXX ψευδής, false, lying), breach of faith, lie (especially for legal, judicial settings). This phrase combines emphatically: a false witness lying testimony. Israel was to provide truthful and honest testimony. This concern is consistent with God’s desire for his people to represent him, dealing faithfully with each other.

Exodus 21:17

“Whoever curses father or mother shall be put to death.”

קלל (LXX κακολογέω, speak evil of, revile, insult), the usage here means to declare and make parents to be insignificant and contemptible. In other words, it is focused on belittling, and cursing is at the heart of the verbal root. Contrast this verse with the Decalogue, honoring one’s parents (Ex 20:12). This verse effectively prohibits cursing one’s own parents.

Exodus 22:28

“You shall not revile God, or curse a leader of your people.”

Also using קלל (LXX κακολογέω), this verse prohibits cursing God. It also uses ארר, to curse, against the leaders of the people. In the LXX, it is οὐ κακῶς ἐρεῖς. At the root of the Hebrew verb is a sense of disgracing someone. This verse prohibits insulting or belittling God as well as cursing, disgracing, the leadership of the people.

Leviticus 5:1

“When any of you sin in that you have heard a public adjuration to testify and—though able to testify as one who has seen or learned of the matter—does not speak up, you are subject to punishment.”

This verse uses the same verb, נשׂא, as from Ex 20:7. However, it is not the same context. Furthermore, the way the verb is used is not remotely close to the other verse. Here, it is used of bearing iniquity, which is supported by the LXX translation, λήμψεται τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. The key verb in Lev 5:1 is נגד and is concerned with convincing, providing evidence, or otherwise making declarations. The context is of a sort of tribunal or legal proceeding; the sin is to fail to speak up with relevant testimony. In this verse, cussing is not prohibited but consciously, actively remaining silent when prompted to give testimony is. Compare this verse with the Decalogue, bearing false witness (Ex 20:16).

Leviticus 5:4

“Or when any of you utter aloud a rash oath for a bad or a good purpose, whatever people utter in an oath, and are unaware of it, when you come to know it, you shall in any of these be guilty.”

Note the key words: שׁבע (LXX ὀμνύω), to swear, pledge, make an oath; בטא (LXX διαστέλλω, to give orders), to speak thoughtlessly; and שְׁבוּעָה (LXX ὅρκος), oath. The context is a thoughtlessly sworn oath. This verse declares such thoughtlessness as a sin.

Leviticus 7:16

“But if the sacrifice you offer is a votive offering or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that you offer your sacrifice, and what is left of it shall be eaten the next day;”

This verse seems relevant due to the votive offering. It is a vow (נֵדֶר), which is an oath. The LXX translates it as εὐχή, which can be a prayer directed to God or a solemn promise. In this case, the vow is done with a sacrifice. The context is of the sacrifice of the offering of well-being (thanksgiving, vow, freewill). This verse permits such vows.

Leviticus 19:12

“And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the LORD.”

This verse is familiar. Compare it with the Decalogue, Ex 20:7. The verb is שׁבע (LXX ὀμνύω). This verse prohibits swearing an oath falsely along the lines of promising with a lying tongue by appealing to the name of the Lord, thus profaning it. The profane act is not the use of the Lord’s name but tying the name to a false oath.

Leviticus 20:9

“All who curse father or mother shall be put to death; having cursed father or mother, their blood is upon them.”

The verb here is קלל (LXX κακῶς εἴπῃ). For Hebrew, it is cursing, belittling. In Greek, it is speaking evil, badly. This verse effectively prohibits cursing one’s parents under penalty of death. Contrast this verse with the Decalogue, honor for parents (Ex 20:12).

Numbers 21:2

“Then Israel made a vow to the LORD and said, ‘If you will indeed give this people into our hands, then we will utterly destroy their towns’.”

נדר (LXX εὔχομαι, pray, wish), to perform a vow, make a solemn promise. Israel makes the vow. God honors it.

Numbers 21:5

“The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food’.”

Israel spoke against God. In Hebrew, the meaning is plain. In the LXX, it is καταλαλέω, speak ill of, “speak degradingly of, speak evil of, defame, slander”. This speaking up against God led to poisonous serpents that wiped out many Israelites.

Numbers 22:6

“‘Come now, curse this people for me, since they are stronger than I; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land; for I know that whomever you bless is blessed, and whomever you curse is cursed’.”

ארר (LXX ἀράομαι, invoke evil on someone, “wish evil”, “imprecate”), bind with a curse. Balak wanted to hire Balaam to curse the Israelites in order to defeat them in battle.

Numbers 30:2-3

“When a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. When a woman makes a vow to the LORD, or binds herself by a pledge, . . .”

Men were expected to fulfill their vows to the Lord, any sworn oath was to be upheld.

Women, however, were expected to fulfill their vows to the Lord so long as the man in their life, if any, did not invalidate it. Such a man included the woman’s father before she was married or her husband after she was married. Widows and divorcees were bound to their pledges as they had no man in their life to nullify them.

Ultimately, this section has nothing to do with cussing.

Deuteronomy 5:11

“You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.”

נשׂא (LXX λαμβάνω), to bear, lift up, carry. Do not take the name of the Lord falsely: the issue is with taking falsely. Falsely is שׁוא (LXX μάταιος). This verbal root is tied both to magic and spells as well as broader evil and mistreatment. In this instance, it is vain (worthless) use to say the Lord’s name in an oath or magic spell and is prohibited as it constitutes abuse of the Lord’s name. In other uses, this verb is used of oaths and curses. See also Ex 20:7. Compare use of “name”, Ex 23:22. Compare “take”, Ex 28:12.

Deuteronomy 6:13

“The LORD your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear.”

שׁבע (LXX ὀμνύω, swear, take an oath), swear, take an oath, make a statement, give a pledge while invoking God to do good; a solemn, irrevocable promise.

Israel could swear and use God’s name to make such oaths, but they had to fulfill them lest they be guilty of taking the Lord’s name in vain. By no other name could they swear lest they be guilty of worshipping other gods.

Deuteronomy 10:20

“You shall fear the LORD your God; him alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast, and by his name you shall swear.”

As with Deut 6:13, so it is with Deut 10:20.

2 Kings 2:23

“He went up from there to Bethel; and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, ‘Go away, baldhead! Go away, baldhead!'”

קלס (LXX καταπαίζω): the boys make fun of (mock) Elisha to their demise. See next, 2 Kgs 2:24. This verse at the very least shows the foolishness of mocking others but does not prohibit cursing.

2 Kings 2:24

“When he turned around and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.”

קלל (LXX καταράομαι): Elisha curses the boys in the name of the Lord in response, prompting their immediate mauling. See previous, 2 Kgs 2:23. God appears to honor the curse. God also appears not to take issue with the curse (oath) formula nor the attachment of his name to the curse.

Psalm 5:9

“For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues.”

The meaning of most of this phrase is clear, though note חלק, (LXX δολιόω, deceive), make smooth, flatter (use a smooth tongue). David declares that his enemies are deceitful and dishonest, so they are treacherous.

Psalm 10:7

“Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;
under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.
They sit in ambush in the villages;
in hiding places they murder the innocent.”

Note that אָלָה (LXX ἀρά, prayer, vow, or malediction, curse), means an oath. However, this oath is tied to deceit and violence. Similarly to how we have seen it before, the concern was with oaths based on lies. Such behavior is treacherous and fraudulent, which is the concern. While not a prohibition, this verse helps identify the wicked who conduct such fraudulent behavior.

Psalm 12:3

“May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,”

חָלָק (LXX δόλιος, deceitful or treacherous) is smooth, false, or slippery. It describes lips that the Lord would cut off. In context, such lips are related to the boastful tongue. This verse does not prohibit anything, but it makes a request or curse against anyone with smooth lips with a hope of divine justice.

Psalm 19:14

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”

This verse is ultimately of no importance for the subject at hand save to say that the psalmist desires the Lord to accept his words, the speeches or prayers of his mouth.

Psalm 34:13-14

“Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.”

The meaning here is plain: the tongue requires active protection to keep from evil.

Psalm 41:7

“All who hate me whisper together about me;
they imagine the worst for me.”

לחשׁ (LXX ψιθυρίζω): those who hate me whisper about me. Enemies conspire, whispering and hissing like a snake charmer. This verse does not prohibit anything, but it likens those who gossip to snake charmers.

Psalm 59:12-13

“For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
consume them in wrath;
consume them until they are no more.”

אָלָה (LXX ἀρά), כַּחַשׁ (LXX ψεῦδος): cursing, lies, pride, sins of mouth–the psalmist’s divine hope is that the Lord holds the nations in derision. The important piece here is that cursing means “oaths”, and in this instance an oath against someone is a curse. Strong sense of “agreement”. It is not a prohibition, but it is itself a sort of curse.

Psalm 109:17

“He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
He did not like blessing; may it be far from him.”

קְלָלָה (LXX κατάρα): the wicked man, David, who stands accused, suggest that he loved curses, so his accusers swear to let curses befall him. This imprecation is itself the law of retribution.

Psalm 109:18

“He clothed himself with cursing as his coat,
may it soak into his body like water,
like oil into his bones.”

קְלָלָה (LXX κατάρα): still speaking of David as a wicked man, he stands accused of clothing himself with curses.

Psalm 140:3

“They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s,
and under their lips is the venom of vipers.”

David requests deliverance from his enemies who sharpen their tongues like snakes and whose lips are venomous. His enemies are sharp and powerful with the use of their words.

Psalm 144:8, 11

“whose mouths speak lies,
and whose right hands are false.”

This refrain occurs twice, once in verse 8 and again in verse 11. דבר (LXX λαλέω), to speak. שָׁוְא (LXX ματαιότης, of no use or value, empty, futile), worthless, unrestrained, false, lie. שֶׁקֶר (LXX ἀδικία, unrighteousness, wrong, injustice, wicked), lie, breach of faith–and is used of lies in false oaths. The aliens, as David said, speak lies and their right hands are false. There is a parallelism between the mouth and the right hand. The right hand is highly regarded; if one desires to swear something stronger than an oath, one swears by the right hand. Such vain, worthless, unrestrained speech has to do with oaths and indicates faithlessness and treacherous behavior.

Proverbs 4:24

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

עִקְּשׁוּת (LXX σκολιός, crooked, dishonest), wrong, false. In this instance, the falsity is speech, and it is a command–put it away! לָזוּת (LXX ἄδικος, unjust, crooked), crookedness. The crookedness is speech, and it is a command–remove it! This proverb is focused on crookedness–dishonesty and injustice.

Proverbs 8:13

“The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.”

תַּהְפּוּכָה (LXX διαστρέφω, distorted, deformed, crooked, perverted, misleading), perversity or scheming. The Lord hates perverse speech. However, the focus here is on someone who changes or goes back on his word. The root carries the meaning to turn one’s back on someone, to change or to alter, to turn around, or, essentially, to lie or to distort.

Proverbs 15:1

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

The meaning is plain in this verse. One’s words have the power to influence anger.

Proverbs 15:4

“A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”

סֶלֶף, perversity (on the tongue) in the sense of deceitfulness, untrustworthiness. Here we have a contrast between a calm tongue and a deceitful one.

Proverbs 18:21

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”

The meaning is plain regardless of vocabulary. One’s speech clearly holds great power.

Proverbs 21:23

“To watch over mouth and tongue is to keep out of trouble.”

The meaning is plain regardless of vocabulary. One must guard the tongue if one is to keep out of trouble.

Proverbs 30:9-11

“or I shall be full, and deny you,
and say, “Who is the LORD?”
or I shall be poor, and steal,
and profane the name of my God.

Do not slander a servant to a master,
or the servant will curse you, and you will be held guilty.

There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers.”

כחשׁ (LXX ψευδὴς γένωμαι), to deny, disavow. The context is of lying, falsehood. תפשׂ (LXX ὀμνύω, swear, take an oath, to affirm the veracity of one’s statement by invoking a transcendent entity), to desecrate or profane the name of God. The root of this word bears the idea of seizing, laying hold of.

לשׁן, slander or defame. Context of slavery, do not damage a slave’s reputation to his master. קלל (LXX καταράομαι), curse or declare a curse upon. The servant will curse you for slandering him. It is an imprecatory curse or oath in response to the slander.

קלל (LXX καταράομαι), curse or declare a curse upon. Some men cast curses on their fathers.

Isaiah 59:4

“No one brings suit justly,
no one goes to law honestly;
they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,
conceiving mischief and begetting iniquity.”

דבר (LXX λαλέω), to speak. שָׁוְא (LXX κενός, empty, in vain), worthless, unrestrained speech. In context, the previous verse concerns lying lips and wicked tongues. The heart of verse 4 is concerned with injustice, dishonesty.

Ezekiel 13:8

“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have uttered falsehood and envisioned lies, I am against you, says the Lord GOD.”

דבר (LXX ὧν οἱ λόγοι), speak. שָׁוְא (LXX ψευδής, false), worthless, unrestrained speech. In context, this false speech had to do with lying divinations or oracle. כָּזָב (LXX μάταιος, empty, useless, idle, of no use), a lie. The root of this word bears the meaning of lying, drying up, failing, and deceiving.

Hosea 4:2

“Swearing, lying, and murder,
and stealing and adultery break out;
bloodshed follows bloodshed.”

אלה (LXX ἀρά), oath/curse. This wickedness is listed alongside of murder, stealing, adultery, and bloodshed as is כחשׁ (LXX ψεῦδος), deny/disavow, lie, or deceive. The land mourns because of such faithlessness and disloyalty to the Lord.

Matthew 5:22

“But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.”

The NRSV curiously removes the force of ῥακά, fool, numskull, empty-head (abusive put-down from Aramaic) by translating as “if you insult a brother or sister”. The word is a colloquialism and a tongue-in-cheek jest. For some reason, the NRSV does translate μωρός, stupid, as “You fool”. Actually, this word could be a Greek translation of an Aramaic loan word, ῥακά, and has a humorous element. Jesus’ words are such that he prohibits murder in the heart through insult and injury. The issue is not with words themselves. Jesus insulted others. Notice the first thing Jesus said: “But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister”. Anger. Not words. If you are angry, then you have committed murder in the heart. However, even Jesus got angry. The point is not to avoid getting angry. Instead, it is to actively make amends with each other and settle your debts, making restitution for and taking ownership of the harm and injury you have done. In a sense, Jesus is instructing to be fair, honest, and faithful to each other.

Matthew 5:33-37

“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.”

ἐπιορκέω, swear falsely (perjure oneself). ἀποδίδωμι, fulfill, give, give up, yield. In this context, it bears the sense of meeting a contractual obligation and fulfilling one’s responsibilities, so “keep”, as in, “keep your promise” or “keep your oath”. ὅρκος, oath. ὀμνύω
swear, take an oath. Jesus clearly instructs not to make oaths, a.k.a., swear an oath. His point was about fulfilling one’s responsibilities to the Lord. Torah clearly permitted the making of vows but also expected their fulfillment, otherwise the vow would have been made on a false premise, which is treacherous. Jesus ups the ante. He says not to swear any oaths or make any vows, but, instead, let your word be your bond and mean what you say when answering inquiries with yes or no.

Matthew 5:44

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

The meaning of this verse is plain regardless of vocabulary. Instead of treating your enemies harshly, Jesus expects you to pray for them. However, one must also explore verse 44 against verse 48. Jesus instructs his followers to treat the good and the evil the same since the Father in heaven causes the sun to rise on both. He instructs them not to be like the Gentiles who only treat the good well and not the evil. By living the way Jesus expects, he commands as a result, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”. What’s interesting is that perfection bears the idea of wholeness, completeness, or matureness. The mature child of God will respond to one’s enemies not with a curse but with prayer for them.

Matthew 12:34

“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

ἔχιδνα, snake (brood of). Is Jesus insulting the Pharisees? He calls them the offspring of snakes. He asks them how they can speak good things while also doing evil things, because one speaks what is already in the heart, so an evil person speaks evil things and a good person speaks good things. What happened prior to this statement? The Pharisees declared that Jesus was either Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, a.k.a., Satan, or by Beelzebul’s power that he healed the blind and mute man who was possessed by a demon. To make such a claim was blasphemy against the Father, Son, and Spirit! So, they insulted him first. By calling them offspring of snakes, he is telling them that their father is not Abraham but, rather, the serpent from Genesis 3. This term, snake, or phrase, offspring of snakes, is not an insult, but it is a scathing reproach.

Matthew 12:36

“I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter”

ῥῆμα, speech, word. ἀργός, idle, lazy, useless, worthless. As seen from the LXX, here we have the phrase, worthless speech, and is akin to the Hebrew, דבר, speak, and שָׁוְא, worthless. What’s more is that this verse is tied to Matt 12:34 and, the larger narrative of Matt 12:22-37, and the point at this stage of the narrative and dialogue is that the Pharisees are evil, they speak evil things, they refuse to repent, and, so, they will be judged because their words demonstrate what is in their heart and that they are indeed rotten to the core. This verse is not saying that everyone will have to give an account for every word he or she ever said. It is instead saying that the words that come out of one’s mouth demonstrate the inward reality, and Jesus made this point in response not to any mere flippant word but the Pharisees’ blasphemy! The issue is blasphemy of the Spirit, not curse words.

Matthew 15:19

“For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander.”

ψευδομαρτυρία, false testimony. βλασφημία, defamatory speech. Blasphemy is slander, denigration, disrespectful, reviling speech–that is, abusive. Jesus offended the Pharisees with what he said. He called them hypocrites. ὑποκριτής, actor, pretender. The root does bear the sense of “smooth talkers”. Jesus clarifies to the disciples that, in contrast to the Pharisaic tradition of hand washing before eating food, it’s not what enters the mouth that defiles a person but what comes out from the mouth because it first stems from the heart. He lists several things that stem from the heart and defile a person when it comes out, including false testimony as well as blasphemy.

In the LXX, ψευδομαρτυρία is from the Decalogue (Ex 20:16, Deut 5:20), whereas βλασφημία only occurs once and in Ezek 35:12. The former are clear prohibitions while the latter is not. However, Lev 24:16 in the MT speaks of blaspheming the Name of the Lord. In Hebrew, the verb is נקב, slander. Interestingly enough, the root of this verb bears the idea of drilling a hole, and it can be used to speak of the magical pin-prick curse. However, this verb, though parallel and synonymous with the other Hebrew word, קלל, curse, which deals with a careless derogatory word against God, means a willful slander against God (TDOT). It does appear that Jesus is focused on any careless curses or blasphemous slanders against either the Father or fellow humans.

Matthew 23:16-22

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.’ How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears by it and by the one who dwells in it; and whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.”

ὀμνύω, swear, take an oath. Jesus is not condemning oaths here but pointing out the unsound, invalid guidance of the Pharisees that swearing by the sanctuary is no oath at all. On the contrary, Jesus declares that it is.

Matthew 26:74

“Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, ‘I do not know the man!’ At that moment the cock crowed.”

Peter cursed! To be fair, we don’t know if he cursed in the sense of cussing. καταθεματίζω, curse. ὀμνύω, swear, take an oath. Literally, “Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man”. Given what we have seen from the LXX, there are no surprises here, and, as we would expect to see, curse and swear are synonyms and appear together. Ironically, Jesus earlier instructed not to swear an oath, but Peter did it anyway in the build up towards his three-fold denial.

Mark 7:22

“And he said, ‘It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person’.”

βλασφημία, defamatory speech. This situation is the same as seen previously in Matt 15. Jesus states that it is not what goes into the body that defiles but what comes out. Abusive speech, that is, careless curses or deliberate slanders against the Lord or fellow humans demonstrate the defiled inward state of the heart.

Mark 11:14

He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

Jesus curses the fig tree. See v. 21.

Mark 11:21

Then Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

καταράομαι, curse (execrate) someone or something. Peter heard Jesus curse the fig tree (see v. 14), and he exclaims his astonishment when he sees that the fig tree died as a result.

Mark 14:71

“But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, ‘I do not know this man you are talking about’.”

Peter cursing and denying Jesus. It’s the same as in Matt 26:74 with one minor difference. Instead of καταθεματίζω, Mark has ἀναθεματίζω, put under a curse. Again, it is cursing and swearing an oath, not cussing.

Luke 6:28

“bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”

καταράομαι, curse (execrate) someone or something. ἐπηρεάζω, abuse, mistreat, threaten (treat despicably). Jesus exhorts to bless and pray for those who curse or abuse you, which is a far cry different from responding in kind with eye for eye, tooth for tooth.

Romans 3:14

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

Paul is quoting from Ps 10:7. ἀρά, curse. Usually a reference to prayer or a vow, but in plural it is a reference to curses (maledictions). Again, we see cursing tied to magical oaths and incantations.

Earlier in this context, “Their throats are opened graves; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of vipers is under their lips” (LXX Ps 5:10, which is v. 9 in NRSV; LXX Ps 139:4, which is 140:3 in NRSV). Still, we see a concern with treachery.

Romans 12:14

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

καταράομαι, curse, execrate. Bless and do not curse. To execrate is to express great loathing for.

Ephesians 4:29

“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.”

σαπρός, rotten. Let not a single rotten word come out of your mouth. Rotten in the sense of bad, not good, unwholesome to the point of being harmful. Note the context of unity. Paul instructs the Ephesians to build each other up, not tear each other down, and, as such, they ought to put away bitterness, wrath, anger, loud shouting, slander, and malice (see v. 31). The point is not cussing. The point is not cursing or swearing. The point is words said in anger that break apart the unity of the church.

Ephesians 4:31

“Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice,”

κραυγή, shout. Of loud, public quarrels involving shouting. βλασφημία, slander, defaming, disrespectful speech that is otherwise abusive. Such speech is not acceptable in the church due to its destructive nature. The point is to embrace and protect the unity of the believers, which is why Paul ends the sentence with verse 32: “and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”

Ephesians 5:4

“Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, let there be thanksgiving.”

αἰσχρότης, obscenity. Shameful behavior that flies in the face of social or moral standards. There is a cognate, αἰσχρολόγος, a foulmouthed person, but Paul does not use that word. There is another cognate, αἰσχρολογία, obscene speech, used for the kind that is of poor taste and might be translated “dirty talk”. Aristotle considered such talk to be expected from less cultured gentlemen. Clement of Alexandria declared that αἰσχρολογία was stories about adultery or pederasty. Polybius translated it as “scurrilous talk” (see Col 3:8). But, for the purposes of Eph 5:4, Paul is not specifically talking about speech but behavior, which may potentially include speech.

Except, the next two nouns in Paul’s list are talking about speech. μωρολογία, foolish talk. It can be considered silly talk, and its generally tied to lack of judgment. εὐτραπελία, risqué wit. Normally a positive trait, in such a vice list as this one, it is a bad one and refers to coarse jesting.

ἀνήκω, that which is proper/fitting. Here, it is negated: that which is not proper. Obscenity, foolish talk, and lewd comments are inappropriate.

But, note the context. Before Eph 5:4, Paul states that fornication, impurity, and greed must not be mentioned among the saints because it is not proper. ὀνομάζω, name, mention. πρέπω, be fitting, suitable. It is plainly fitting for such things not to be mentioned among the saints. So, there is a chiasm:

Fornication, impurity, and greed ought not be named among you as is proper among saints
1. Obscenity, foolish talk, and lewd comments are inappropriate
No fornicator, impure person, or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ.

In other words, it’s a sandwich, and the central point is that obscenity, foolish talk, and lewd comments are inappropriate. But, these vices are in the context of fornication, impurity, and greed, collectively which are all heavily laden with outright or implied sexual sin. As Origen put it, fornication is prostitution while impurity is adultery, pederasty, and other sexual licentiousness while greed is specific to adultery and coveting.

And the context of Eph 5:4 is still unity, although there is a slight shift in the argument: be unified as you imitate God and live in love. Unity is upheld when God’s children imitate Christ’s sacrificial love.

So, on the surface it would be easy to say that Eph 5:4 prohibits cussing. However, it bears no such prohibition. Instead, it is prohibiting any sexually crude jokes or stories about prostitution, adultery, coveting, or other sexual innuendo that risks damaging the unity of the church or that does not demonstrate sacrificial love for each other. Such speech is not limited to four letter words. Also, such speech is culturally and socially informed. What may have been proper then may not be proper now. However, matters of propriety are important for addressing unity as well as mission.

Ephesians 5:6

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes on those who are disobedient.”

κενοῖς λόγοις, empty words. Chrysostom said that these words are attractive at first but then go unproven by works, and, so, are deceitful. Those speaking empty words are deceiving their listeners. It may very well be that Eph 5:6 is Paul’s way of saying that false teachers will try to say the vices identified in Eph 5:3-5 are not serious. Paul urges in verse 7 not to associate with such deceivers. They are deceivers because they promote darkness, not light, and the things they do in secret are shameful. Here the word is αἰσχρός, shameful, and it is related to the one we saw in Eph 5:4, αἰσχρότης, shamefulness. Indeed, verse 5:6 is tied to 5:3-5.

Philippians 3:8

“More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

Whatever gains or advantages Paul had, he considered them all as crap. σκύβαλον, rubbish, trash. Spicq translated it as “crap” and remarks that it is crude Greek. Luther translated it as “Kot” in German (Svigel 2005). In LSJ, σκύβαλον is defined as dung, excrement, manure; refuse, offal. Per TDNT, it bears the force of worthless, useless, abhorrent, and unclean, and it is a vulgar term and best translated as “dung”.

While the term was vulgar, there is no indication that it was a cuss word. Paul was using language, though rare in Greek literature, that did exist in Hellenistic Judaism and was used to connote dualism between holy and profane, spirit and flesh (TDNT). Paul was saying that his personal virtue of works, deeds, and merits in the flesh as a Hebrew and a Pharisee were nothing next to knowing Christ, and, therefore, he considered all of those gains as worthless, as filth, and as abhorrent.

Therefore, Paul’s use of σκύβαλον does not indicate that Paul is condoning cussing. It may be vulgar, and it may be crude, but it is not cussing. However, we will revisit this example later for understanding the biblical view of language and vulgar words and phrases in the Bible relative to all such speech commands.

Philippians 4:8

“Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Prior to this verse, Paul wrote about the peace of God that not only surpasses all understanding but also guards the hearts and minds of those in Christ. Now, in verse 8, Paul instructs them to think about that which is honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, and excellent, worthy of praise. He does not say solely to think about those things as if anyone could ever think about those things alone. In the end, this verse does not touch on our subject.

Colossians 3:8-9

“But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices”

βλασφημία, defamatory, abusive, slanderous speech. αἰσχρολογία, obscene, dirty talk, scurrilous talk. In context, Paul was telling the Colossians to put aside their former way of earthly living. He started by listing fornication, impurity, and greed, just like in Ephesians, adding also passion and evil desire. Their lives had changed once they put on the new self in Christ. Along with such lifestyle changes as putting off fornication, impurity, greed, passion, and evil desires, so also were they to rid themselves of speech and behavior that does not espouse love for others.

Colossians 4:6

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.”

In his closing remarks, Paul exhorts the Colossians to be ready to have an answer, and the context is with outsiders. It is evangelistic in tone. As distant onlookers observe one’s Christian behavior, there may come a time where such an onlooker will make inquiry–“What’s different about you?” Be ready to have an answer, one full of grace that is attractive and savory.

1 Timothy 1:6

“Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk,”

ματαιολογία, empty, fruitless talk. Here the context is of a different doctrine apart from Christ. Such fruitless talk is myths, endless genealogies, and various speculations. It has nothing to do with cussing.

1 Timothy 6:3-5

Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Paul, when instructing Timothy on various matters, warns against heresy. Such heretical teachers are conceited and understand nothing. They have a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words.

νοσέω, sick, ailing. It’s cognates translate to “disease”, “illness”. Though here it is the verb, it is a participle and it modifies two nouns. First, it modifies ζήτησις, investigation. It denotes controversial topics. It likely refers to theological problems in this instance. Second, it modifies λογομαχία, word-battle. These heretics have an ill taste for seeking out controversies and word-battles. From such disputes and contentions come matters of envy, dissension or rivalry, slander, evil conjecture, and wrangling.

βλασφημία, denigration, defamation, slander. πονηρός, wicked, worthless, evil, base. ὑπόνοια, conjecture based on slight evidence. Combining the latter two, we get “evil conjectures” or “false suspicions”.

But what is “wrangling” here? It is an interesting phrase in Greek: διαπαρατριβαὶ διεφθαρμένων ἀνθρώπων τὸν νοῦν (irritating arguments among the mind of morally corrupt men).

Paul is pointing out that such heretics are bereft of truth, which leads to arguments, evil conjectures, and baseless accusations. Cussing is not in view.

1 Timothy 6:20

“Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge;”

βέβηλος, worthless, pointless. Of speech, it connotes foolish tales. κενοφωνία, chatter, empty talk. The combination of these two words translate as “profane chatter”, meaning, “devoid of Christian content”. ἀντίθεσις, contradiction or an inconsistent statement.

Paul is exhorting Timothy to steer clear of the heretics and their controversial knowledge. Cussing is not in view.

2 Timothy 2:14-19

“Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting the faith of some. But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness’.”

Of particular interest is verse 16 and the exhortation to avoid profane chatter. βέβηλος, worthless. κενοφωνία, empty talk. The combination is translated as “profane chatter”, or “devoid of Christian content”. Contextually, Paul is warning against heresy. Two of the heretics, Hymenaeus and Philetus, were claiming that the resurrection already happened. This profane chatter leads to impiety. ἀσέβεια, impiety. It denotes a lack of reverence for the holy. Again, cussing is not in view.

2 Timothy 2:22-26

“Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, 26 and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”

After having made his point about explaining the word of truth unlike Hymenaeus and Philetus, the heretics, Paul exhorts Timothy to become dedicated utensils so to speak for the Lord. To do so, he instructs Timothy to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Then, verse 23, he commands that Timothy decline stupid, senseless controversies. In terms of flow of thought, such controversies do not pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

μωρός, foolish, stupid. ἀπαίδευτος, uninstructed, uneducated. ζήτησις, investigation. The latter term is used of theological inquiry. So, putting the terms together, Paul is advising Timothy to refuse to engage in foolish, uneducated theological inquiries. Why does he do that? He answers this question directly: because they breed quarrels. μάχη, fighting, quarrels. The servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome. Instead, the opposite: the servant of the Lord needs to be gentle towards everyone, skillful in teaching, patient, and able to correct the opposition with gentleness.

Paul is concerned with Timothy getting wrapped up in controversial arguments, not cussing.

Titus 3:9

“But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.”

In context, Paul is reminding Titus that those in Christ were previously foolish, disobedient, wayward, slaves to passions and pleasures, full of hatred (verse 3). Through the work of Jesus for and the outpouring of the Spirit on believers, they ought to devote themselves to good works, which are profitable to everyone (verse 8). In stark contrast are the things of the past, the things of the former way of life, which are worthless. Those things are stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law.

μωρός, foolish, stupid. ζήτησις, investigation, including of theological inquiry. γενεαλογία, genealogy (ancestral accounts). ἔρις, rivalry (especially of positions within a rivalry). μάχη, quarrel, fight. The quarrels are specifically about the law, that is, Mosaic law.

Paul is concerned with Titus getting wrapped up in controversial arguments, not cussing.

1 Peter 3:9-10

“Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. For
‘Those who desire life
and desire to see good days,
let them keep their tongues from evil
and their lips from speaking deceit’;”

Peter is quoting from Ps 34:13-17, which we addressed earlier. However, note the instruction not to repay evil for evil, abuse for abuse.

κακός, evil, bad, injurious. λοιδορία, speech that is highly insulting, “abuse”, “reproach”, “reviling”.

Peter is exhorting his audience to follow Christ’s command to bless and not curse one’s enemies.

James 1:19-21

“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.”

James, having spent the time to argue that believers are the first fruits of God’s creatures, exhorts every believer to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

ἀκούω, hear, listen, learn, heed, understand. λαλέω, speak, talk, express oneself. ὀργή, anger.

ταχύς, quick, swift, speedy. βραδύς, slow.

The wise child of God will be slow to anger and slow to talk but will be quick to hear, listen, understand.

At first blush, this verse sounds like it has nothing to do with cussing. But, we must read on.

Why should one be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger? The believer should recognize that human anger does not produce the righteousness of God. James exhorts as a result, saying to get rid of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness.

ῥυπαρία, vulgarity. Literally, “dirt, filth”, but, metaphorically, and therefore ethically, it refers to moral uncleanness. It has to do with that which is unclean or defiled. This language sounds like cussing could be included, but there is no basis for that, not even if we recall the Pentateuch.

The NRSV translation, “rank growth of wickedness” is odd when the text is literally “abundance of wickedness”. It points to vice and depravity. It could be possible that it includes cussing. The wicked word was synonymous with a false word, both of which were marks of the treacherous, wicked. But these were matters of unfaithfulness, not cussing.

James 1:26

“If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.”

χαλιναγωγέω, bridle, hold in check. It is a restraint but also a guide. As we saw in Proverbs, the tongue is powerful. So, James says it must be held in check. The issue is that the unbridled tongue deceives the hearts of the religious. Notice in verse 27 that the antithesis to the worthless religion of the deceived who have unbridled tongues is not restricted speech, but it is just and compassionate action. Words alone are not enough. Deeds are important. Words are not fruit. Actions are. True religion, that is, true belief, results in action. True religion is not in the words used, whether positive or negative, but in backing up those words with appropriate action. Cussing is not in view, but, rather, authenticity and the outworking of one’s professed faith is.

James 3:1-12

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet 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 exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.”

This massive passage explains the true heart of the matter. James declares that whomever controls the tongue is perfect. He also declares that no one can tame the tongue! Therefore, no one is perfect. James is not arguing against cussing. James is arguing that everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory by virtue of the tongue. The tongue, James says, is powerful like a ships rudder, a spark in the forest, the bit in the mouth of horses. It is small, yet powerful. It is small, yet influential. James also says that the tongue is placed as a world of unrighteousness in our body parts.

καθίστημι, bring, conduct, appoint, make, cause. In the sense of cause, it bears the idea of causing someone to experience something. κόσμος, decoration, order, world, universe, earth, humanity, total. In BDAG, the entire Greek phrase is translated, “the tongue becomes the sum total of iniquity” in the body.

James declares that the tongue is a restless evil that is full of deadly poison.

ἀκατάστατος, unstable, restless. It is used of vacillating people. κακός, bad, evil, harmful, injurious. ἰός, poison, venom. It is used of snakes (James’ use is also reminiscent of Proverbs). θανατηφόρος, death-dealing (deadly). It is used of poison.

The tongue is restless, that is, it vacillates and is unstable. Hence, James laments that believers use the tongue to bless God but also curse those whom God has made. He laments that from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.

εὐλογέω, bless, speak well of, praise, extol; ask for favor; bestow favor. καταράομαι, curse, execrate.

εὐλογία, praise, flattery, blessing. κατάρα, curse, imprecation.

James echoes Jesus’ words. Jesus said that out of the heart the mouth speaks. James uses analogies to make the same claim. A fresh water spring cannot produce brackish water. A fig cannot produce olives. A grapevine cannot produce figs. Salt water cannot produce fresh water. A believer’s tongue, which produces blessings to God, cannot yield curses either upon God or God’s creation, as it is the true testament of what is in the heart.

As with everything else we have seen up until this point, the context of the disruption of the unity of the believers is waiting in the wings. Verses 13 and following describe envious and selfish hearts that yield disorder and wickedness. It also talks about partiality and hypocrisy. These lead to disputes.

πόλεμος, war, battle, fight; conflict, strife, quarrel. μάχη, fighting, quarrels, strife, disputes.

As with Paul, James is clearly concerned with matters of the tongue in relation to the unity of the church. He may not use the term, but it is clearly in view. Cussing itself is not in view, but the application of it to tear down others, violating the unification of the church, appears to be.

James 4:11

“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters. Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another, speaks evil against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.”

καταλαλέω, speak ill of, “speak degradingly of”, “defame”, “slander”. The cognate noun refers to evil speech, slander, defamation. Here in chapter 4, it is tied to judging others. James makes the case that we are not the judge, but, rather, God is. Speaking evil is not necessarily cussing.

James 5:9

“Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors!”

στενάζω, sigh, groan. It is to complain, expressing discontentment. In this usage, it is hostile. James exhorts his audience not to groan against one another in order that, showing purpose and intent, they might not be judged. Plainly, cussing is not in view.

James 5:12

“Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.”

ὀμνύω, swear, take an oath. Just as Jesus said, James instructs the same.

Perhaps more has been said, especially with metaphors of the mouth, lips, or tongue, but the above analysis really drives home the point that the Bible is concerned with curses, not contemporary cursing; it is concerned with oaths and swearing, not with contemporary swear words; and it is concerned with avoiding speech that tears down the unity of the church or hinders the gospel.

We saw that in the Hebrew Bible vows (curses and oaths) were the main issue with one’s language (Ex 21:17; 22:28; Lev 5:4; 7:16; 19:12; 20:9; Num 21:2; 22:6; 30:1ff; 2 Kgs 2:24; Ps 10:7; 59:12-13; 109:17-18; Pr 30:9-11; Hos 4:2).

We also saw that in the New Testament vows were also a significant issue with one’s language (Matt 5:33-37; 23:16-22; 26:74; Mark 11:14, 21; 14:71; Luke 6:28; Rom 3:14; 12:14; Js 3:1-12; and 5:12).

In the Hebrew Bible, we observed that matters of dishonesty and injustice were of serious concern (Ex 20:7, 16; Lev 5:1; Deut 5:11; Ps 5:9; 12:3; 144:8, 11; Pr 4:24; Pr 8:13; Is 59:4; and Ezek 13:8).

Likewise, the New Testament shared concerns with matters of dishonesty and injustice (Matt 15:19; and Eph 5:6).

However, the New Testament was more concerned with maintaining unity within the church (Matt 15:19; Mark 7:22; Eph 4:29, 31; Col 3:8-9; and 1 Tim 6:3-5, 20).

We observed real concern with heretical controversies and verbal arguments (1 Tim 1:6; 6:3-5, 20; 2 Tim 2:14-19, 22-26; and Titus 3:9).

We also observed numerous mentions of insults and injury through words (Num 21:5; 2 Kgs 2:23; Pr 30:9-11; Matt 5:22; 12:34; 2 Tim 2:22-26; Titus 3:9; 1 Pet 3:9-10; and Js 4:11).

And we also found a handful of instructions to get ride of crude, obscene language (Eph 5:4; Col 3:8-9; and Js 1:19-21).

While the main concern with language in the Bible is with honest representation and commitment to one’s word, and the next main concern is with maintaining the unity of the church, it is important to see that Scripture includes several insults, curses, and sexually obscene, vulgar language.

Exploring Biblical Examples

Insults

Jesus called his opponents various names and did offend them.

Jesus insulted the Pharisees, calling them a brood of vipers (Matt 12:34; 23:33). He would also call them snakes (Matt 23:33).

Jesus insulted the Pharisees and scribes, first calling them hypocrites (actors), but also blind guides and fools (Matt 23:13, 17). The fool was the μωρός (foolish, stupid), as previously seen. He also called them whitewashed tombs (Matt 23:27).

Jesus essentially called the Gentile woman a dog (Matt 15:26), though she convinced him to heal her daughter anyway.

In Luke 12:20, in the middle of a parable, Jesus said that God calls the rich man a fool. In this case, it was not μωρός, but ἄφρων (foolish, ignorant), one who lacked prudence or good judgment and was the opposite of φρόνιμος (wise, prudent).

Jesus called Herod a fox (Luke 13:32).

Jesus called people hypocrites (Matt 6:2, 5, 16; 7:3-5; 15:7; 22:18; 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29; and 24:51). ὑποκριτής (actor), one who pretends. The term was used of the godless, akin to the ἀσεβής (impious, irreverent, ungodly) and παράνομος (lawless). It was used in a negative sense to refer to scam artists and was therefore related to the actions of lying and deception (TDNT). In many instances, these were nondescript, referencing a broader and hypothetical recipient, but there were the occasional ripostes directed at the specific groups of Pharisees, Sadducees, or scribes.

And at least twice Paul had harsh words for his opponents.

Paul called mutilators of the flesh “dogs” (Phil 3:2).

Paul hoped that the troublesome party in Galatia would simply castrate themselves (Gal 5:12).

However, in large part, though not entirely, the aforementioned insults were not directed at a singular individual.

There is the case of the biblically sanctioned insult in Deut 25:5-10 for levirate marriages when the woman’s deceased husband’s brother refuses to take her in marriage. She is to take off his sandal, spit in his face, and declare, “This is what happens to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.” The man and his own descendants will be referred to as “the house of him whose sandal was pulled off.” Pulling off the sandal was a sort of receipt for the wife because she would then retain the property of her deceased husband (NIVACOT, Deut., 583-84). The act of spitting was literally “before his face” or “in front of him”–meaning it is possible the spittle was on the ground and not landing on his face. It graphically recalls to mind Onan from Genesis who spilled his semen on the ground rather than fulfill his levirate duty. By spitting on the ground, the act also points towards the sandals and the feet. The sandal was symbolic for female genitals. Feet were symbolic for male genitals or semen (LNB, 296; obtained in WBC, Deut., 607). חלץ (LXX ὑπολύω, take off one’s sandal/shoe) means to withdraw or draw off. All at once, we can see that this shameful insult is somewhat crude as it shames the man for not taking the woman and thus preserve his brother’s house with graphic and symbolic language. As the man has withdrawn from the woman, so the woman withdraws his sandal. The spit was emblematic for spilled semen on the ground, making the man no better than Onan, and we all know that Onan was killed by the Lord no less for this behavior (Gen 38).

Curses

Note that the Bible includes numerous curses.

God cursed the serpent, the woman, and the man (Gen 3). To the serpent, God cursed (ארר, LXX ἐπικατάρατος), declaring that

“upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel”.

To the woman, God said, though Genesis does not say he cursed Eve, “I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall ring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you”.

To the man, God cursed, saying,

“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it’, cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

God cursed Adam as he did with the serpent. ארר (LXX ἐπικατάρατος), bind with a curse.

God cursed Cain (Gen 4):

“And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth”.

As with Adam, so it was with Cain.

God cursed the serpent, Eve, Adam, and Cain because of their rebellions. In these instances, God’s curses were condemnations.

Noah cursed Canaan (Gen 9), saying, “Cursed be Canaan; lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers”. This curse was a response to some sort of wrong doing done to him.

In Deuteronomy, numerous curses are made for anyone who violates the Torah. See especially Deut 27:15-26; 28:15-68; 29:10-29; and 30:17-18.

Elisha cursed young boys because they made fun of his bald head (2 Kgs 2). We know not what he said. We only know that he cursed them in return. קלל (LXX καταράομαι), to curse. The result: two female bears mauled 42 of the boys. God honored Elisha’s curse.

Shimei, of King Saul’s house, came out out of the house to confront King David (2 Sam 16). Shimei came out of the house cursing. קלל (LXX καταράομαι), to curse. Shimei cursed, though we know not what exactly. While cursing, that is, concurrently, he said, “Out! Out! Murderer! Scoundrel! . . .” David allowed it, saying that Shimei was saying what the Lord commanded, he took no offense to it even though his company does, and he went about his business.

Nehemiah cursed the Jews who married non-Jewish, Gentile women (Neh 13:25). קלל (LXX καταράομαι), to curse. What he said, we do not know. We do know that Nehemiah made them swear an oath not to take foreign women for wives.

Jesus cursed the fig tree.

In Mark 11, when he was hungry and approached a fig tree, he found that it had no edible fruit. Jesus says, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” The next morning, the tree was found, withered. Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” καταράομαι, curse/execrate.

In Matt 21, in the same scenario, Jesus said, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” In Matthew’s account, the fig tree immediately withered. The Matthean account does not say that Jesus cursed like the Markan one does.

Paul cursed. In Gal 1:8-9, he declared anyone who proclaimed a false gospel to be accursed. ἀνάθεμα, to be cursed and devoted to destruction (TDNT).

Vulgar

Note that the Bible includes numerous graphic, vulgar images and mental pictures.

Judges 5:30

“Are they not finding and dividing the spoil?

A girl or two for every man;

spoil of dyed stuffs for Sisera, spoil of dyed stuffs embroidered,

two pieces of dyed work embroidered for my neck as spoil?”

“A girl or two for every man”. A euphemism for a vulgar reference to a soldier’s bed-mates as spoils of war. Literally, “one or two laps for every man”, a crude reference for vaginas.

Job 40:15-18

“‘Look at Behemoth,

which I made just as I made you;

it eats grass like an ox.

Its strength is in its loins,

and its power in the muscles of its belly.

It makes its tail stiff like a cedar;

the sinews of its thighs are knit together.

Its bones are tubes of bronze,

its limbs like bars of iron’.”

When the Lord brings up Behemoth to Job as a testament to his own greatness, he speaks of the large animal’s loins, which are strong and powerful. Then, the Lord calls to mind the tail of the Behemoth, how it makes it stiff like a cedar.

However, in Hebrew specifically and not in the LXX, it is literally a “hanging” (HALOT, s.v. חפץ־2) “phallus” (HALOT, s.v. זָנָב) and not “tail”. The Behemoth is the hippopotamus. It does not have a massive tail. It also does not make sense why loins and belly would be in focus and then suddenly switch to the rear end before returning to the frontal area and focusing on the thighs. Loins, belly, phallus, and thighs are better suited. While Behemoth may not have been a hippopotamus at all (Longman, 441), the image appears to be of the virility of the creature. Some scholars think that the thighs itself are a symbolic reference to its testicles, especially since the Vulgate uses testiculorum where the Hebrew uses פּחַד while the LXX has no such equivalent noun (Longman, 442).

In any case, some might take the imagery, if it is correct to begin with, and we do not know for sure that it is, as a vulgar reference.

Psalm 137:8-9

“O daughter Babylon, you devastator!

Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us!

Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!”

A morbid picture, the psalmist hopes for retribution with like-for-like payback.

Isaiah 3:17

“. . . the Lord will afflict with scabs the heads of the daughters of Zion,

and the LORD will lay bare their secret parts.”

“The LORD will lay bare their secret parts.” Literally, “The LORD will expose their front side”, a traditional reference to female pudenda.

Isaiah 47:1-3

“Come down and sit in the dust,

virgin daughter Babylon!

Sit on the ground without a throne,

daughter Chaldea!

For you shall no more be called

tender and delicate.

Take the millstones and grind meal,

remove your veil,

strip off your robe, uncover your legs,

pass through the rivers.

Your nakedness shall be uncovered,

and your shame shall be seen.

I will take vengeance,

and I will spare no one.”

“Strip off your robe”. Literally, “Strip off your skirt”.

“Uncover your legs”. Literally, “Uncover your thigh”.

“Your nakedness shall be uncovered”. Literally, “Your genitals will be exposed”.

The Lord will repay Babylon for their deeds.

Isaiah 57:8-10

“Behind the door and the doorpost
you have set up your symbol;
for, in deserting me, you have uncovered your bed,
you have gone up to it,
you have made it wide;
and you have made a bargain for yourself with them,
you have loved their bed,
you have gazed on their nakedness.
You journeyed to Molech with oil,
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far away,
and sent down even to Sheol.
You grew weary from your many wanderings,
but you did not say, ‘It is useless.’
You found your desire rekindled,
and so you did not weaken.”

“Uncover the bed.” This is the language of uncovering one’s nakedness (and shame). This language also doubles as the language of exile.

“Gazed on their nakedness.” This phrase is literally a euphemism for the male’s penis, and, so, crassly, “You have looked upon their penis”, a reference to an obscene act.

“You found your desire rekindled.” Literally, “You have found your penis”, still a reference to an obscene act.

Jeremiah 2:20

“For long ago you broke your yoke
and burst your bonds,
and you said, “I will not serve!”
On every high hill
and under every green tree
you sprawled and played the whore.”

“You sprawled and played the whore”. To spread oneself, to lie down as a prostitute. The language of whoredom is used as an analogy for Israel’s unfaithfulness.

Jeremiah 13:22

“And if you say in your heart,
‘Why have these things come upon me?’
it is for the greatness of your iniquity
that your skirts are lifted up,
and you are violated.”

To Judah, the Lord declares that its skirts will be lifted up. It is to Judah that the Lord declares that they are going to be violated.

“Your skirts are lifted up”. Euphemistically, “Your female pubic regions have been uncovered”.

“You are violated”. Literally, “Your heels are violated” or “Your heels are bared”, where “heels” is a euphemism for female pudenda.

Jeremiah 13:26

“I myself will lift up your skirts over your face, and your shame will be seen.”

The Lord said that he would be the one to lift up Judah’s skirts over the face and expose her shame.

“Life up your skirts over your face”. Euphemistically, “I will bare your pubic regions”.

Lamentations 1:8

“Jerusalem sinned grievously,

so she has become a mockery;

all who honored her despise her,

for they have seen her nakedness;

she herself groans, and turns her face away.”

All who previously honored Jerusalem are now ashamed of her because they have seen her nakedness.

Ezekiel 16:25

“at the head of every street you built your lofty place and prostituted your beauty, offering yourself to every passer-by, and multiplying your whoring.”

“Offering yourself to every passer-by”. Literally, “You opened wide your legs to every passer-by”.

Ezekiel 16:37

“therefore, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated; I will gather them against you from all around, and will uncover your nakedness to them, so that they may see all your nakedness.”

The Lord said he would uncover Judah’s nakedness before all of her lovers.

Ezekiel 23:3

“they played the whore in Egypt; they played the whore in their youth; their breasts were caressed there, and their virgin bosoms were fondled.”

“Their breasts were caressed there.” Literally, “Their breasts were squeezed”.

“Their virgin bosoms were fondled.” Literally, “Their virgin tits were pressed”.

Graphic and crude imagery, this striking chapter is demonstrating that Israel and Judah were unfaithful because of the way they were brought up in Egypt.

Ezekiel 23:8

“She did not give up her whorings that she had practiced since Egypt; for in her youth men had lain with her and fondled her virgin bosom and poured out their lust upon her.”

“And fondled her virgin bosom”. Literally, “And they pressed her virgin tits”.

“And poured out their lust upon her”. Literally, “And they poured out their fornication upon her”.

This metaphor has to do with a mixture of commercial trade and economic support as well as idolatry. What precisely is meant by the last phrase is unclear since תַּזְנוּת is used nowhere else and is unparalleled in the cognate languages. One can only imagine. Still, it is part of a revolting metaphor.

Ezekiel 23:10

“These uncovered her nakedness; they seized her sons and her daughters; and they killed her with the sword. Judgment was executed upon her, and she became a byword among women.”

“These uncovered her nakedness”. As seen before, literally, “They uncovered her genital area”.

Ezekiel 23:20

“. . . and lusted after her paramours there, whose members were like those of donkeys, and whose emission was like that of stallions.”

Judah lusted after her paramours in Egypt who were beastly.

“Whose members were like those of donkeys”. Literally, “Whose flesh was the flesh of donkeys”, where “flesh” is a euphemism for the penis.

“Whose emission was like that of stallions”. Literally, “Whose branch was the branch of horses”, where “branch” is a euphemism for the erect penis.

Ezekiel 23:21

“Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptians fondled your bosom and caressed your young breasts.”

“Fondled your bosom”. Literally, “When the ones from Egypt squeezed your tits”.

“Caressed your young breasts”. Literally, “Squeezed your virgin breasts”.

Ezekiel 23:26

“They shall also strip you of your clothes and take away your fine jewels.”

“They shall strip you of your clothes”. Literally, “They will strip your garments off”. The verb means to strip naked.

Ezekiel 23:29

“and they shall deal with you in hatred, and take away all the fruit of your labor, and leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your whorings shall be exposed.”

“Leave you naked and bare”. The NRSV translates it literally.

Imprecatory Psalms

We already observed a vulgar reference in Ps 137. That psalm is an example of imprecatory psalms, a type of psalm designed to curse or execrate one’s enemies and take the matter to God. There are many imprecatory psalms. Scholars do not all agree on which psalms are imprecatory, so we will explore them below and examine for substance in relation to our topic.

Psalm 5

David cries out to God and declares that God does not delight in wickedness and asks God to punish the wicked, making them bear their guilt, and asks God to let them fall by their own words of counsel.

Psalm 7

David cries out to God for help and asks the Lord to rise up and fight his enemies. David asks that the wicked’s deeds would end.

Psalm 12

David asks the Lord to cut off all flattering lips and boastful tongues.

Psalm 35

David asks the Lord to fight on his behalf with those who fight against him. David hopes that the Lord will put his enemies to shame. David asks that his enemies come to surprise ruin. David asks the Lord to act and not look on as a pedestrian bystander, and he asks for vindication. He asks for his enemies to be put to certain shame.

Psalm 55

David cries out to the Lord because of troubling anger brought against him. David asks God to confuse and confound his enemies, especially his closest companion. David hopes that death would come upon them.

Psalm 58

David cries to God and asks that he break the teeth in the mouth of the wicked. He hopes that God will make the wicked vanish like water that runs away or like grass that is trodden and withered or like the snail that dissolves into slime or stillborn birth that never sees the sun.

Psalm 59

David cries to God for deliverance from his enemies. He asks that God would not pardon any of them. He asks that God would not kill them but instead totter and humble them. David later asks that the Lord would consume them in wrath and consume them until they are no more.

Psalm 69

David cries out to God for salvation as he felt like he was sinking and drowning. David laments that he has innumerable enemies who revile and insult him. He hopes that their table would become a trap for them and their eyes would turn blind and the the anger of the Lord would overtake them. David hopes that they would be blotted out of the Book of Life.

Psalm 79

Not from David but of Asaph, this imprecatory psalm laments the nations and asks God to pour out his anger upon them.

Psalm 83

Another psalm of Asaph, he laments the plans of the wicked nations surrounding God’s people. He asks God to act against the enemies like he did in Midian. He asks God to make them like chaff blown about in the wind. Asaph asks God to consume them in a fire or like a hurricane comes and destroys. He asks God to fill the enemies with shame and let them perish in disgrace.

Psalm 94

The psalmist calls upon the Lord, the God of vengeance, to rise up and judge the earth and repay the proud what they deserve. The psalmist laments the deeds of the wicked. He declares in the end that God will repay them for their iniquity and wipe them out.

Psalm 109

David calls upon God not to be silent because the wicked are openly speaking lies about him and attacking him. He lists off the imprecations they made against him. David asks God to act on his behalf and to save him. He asks God to put his enemies to shame and clothed with dishonor.

Psalm 137

The psalmist laments the exile in Babylon, remembering Zion. The psalmist declares that songs of Zion cannot be sung in a foreign land and makes a self-imprecation: “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither! Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.” The psalmist then calls upon the Lord to remember what the Edomites did when Jerusalem fell. But who made Jerusalem fall? It was Babylon, to whom the psalmist now turns with the imprecation we saw above: “O daughter Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us! Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!”

Psalm 139

David, after having praised God for his wonderous ways, asks that he would kill the wicked, the bloodthirsty, those who speak maliciously, and those who do evil.

So, the Bible contains insults, curses, and vulgar words or phrases. What do we do with that information?

When the New Testament talks about language, we need to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. On the face of it, one might argue that Scripture is inconsistent or at the very worst contradictory with itself because it contains vulgar speech while at the same time prohibiting such speech. But, it need not be so.

All too often we read our English translations and stop there. Friends, Paul did not write in English. Jesus did not speak in English. The prophets did not address the people in English.

Breaking the verses down in their respective Hebrew and Greek semantics is an important part of biblical studies. So also is breaking the verses down in their respective contexts. We have done both in the explorations above. What did we find?

We found that cussing was not mentioned, it was not prohibited, and it did not exist, be it in the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament.

We found that cursing was mentioned, but it was not the same thing as cussing. Cursing was a form of vow. It was a way of belittling others by invoking a deity to ensure the undesired outcome upon the recipient. In the New Testament, cursing was prohibited. In its place, prayer and blessing were the modus operandi.

We found that crude, vulgar speech was prohibited in the New Testament. This point is difficult to swallow. How can the Hebrew Bible include harsh, violent, vulgar imagery about rape, humiliation, and harlotry but then Paul prohibit talking about such things? Could it be that things changed this side of the cross? Could it be that Paul was talking about something else?

Since we found that it matters how one’s words are used we have to consider that Paul was not talking about substantive content as much as he was usage. Indeed, in Eph 4 and 5 the broader concern is the unity of the church. Spreading rumors or gossiping about someone’s sins is as much a problem as the sins discussed. If that is the case, then there is no contradiction between the vulgarisms of the Hebrew Bible and what Paul said, to avoid obscene, silly, or vulgar talk. It’s one thing to instruct, get someone’s attention, communicate with an analogy or metaphor and take it seriously, communicating harshly but honestly. It’s another thing to joke about sin and not take it seriously. So, the heart of the matter is to preserve the unity of the believers. Any speech, cussing, cursing, or otherwise, that upsets that unity is not acting out of love and does not belong anywhere in the community.

In relation to Eph 5 and 6, how one behaves in public view is a matter of witness and testimony and ought not discredit the gospel. It’s one thing to use language privately. It’s another thing entirely to use language publicly.

The Freedom Framework and The Biblical View of Language

I last discussed the freedom framework in my concluding post on the series, Sex: the biblical view. By way of reminder, here is the freedom framework:

Christians individually have freedom to do things, act, or behave in ways that are not contradictory to Scripture or the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Christians must forego their freedoms if their actions violate their own conscience, the conscience of others, or socio-cultural values.

When applying the freedom frame work to cussing and language, we can note the following:

It is contrary to Scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit to gossip, spread rumors, make crude, sexual jokes that make light of sin, make vows, or curse fellow human beings. One’s actions should never go against the grain of the Word of God and the Sword of the Spirit.
In settings where other Christians are in earshot, what one says is subject to public scrutiny, and, if it is deemed offensive, then it is a problem. One’s public actions ought not violate anyone’s conscience and bring them to spiritual ruin.
In settings where other people, Christian or not, are in earshot, what one says is subject to public scrutiny, and, if it is deemed culturally offensive, then it is a problem. One’s public witness and testimony, as perceived and evaluated by one’s actions and words, ought not bring disgrace upon the Lord.

Where Scripture is silent, where the Spirit does not convict, where private matters are of no affair to the public eye or ear, then, yes, one may cuss. Otherwise, one must forego the freedom.

Conclusion

We have seen what the Bible says about language, and, especially, cursing and vows. We have seen that cussing in the modern sense simply was not in view in biblical, ancient times. We have seen that the Christian is to be careful with the use of the tongue with a primary concern not to upset the unity of the church. We have also seen that within such freedoms of speech the Christian still has a responsibility towards the community of believers and the socio-cultural community in matters of love and witness.

Breaking matters of language down in the biblical perspective, we can list the following observations:

False testimony, lying, deceit is the main theme (19 occurrences).
1. Ex 20:16
2. Lev 5:1
3. Lev 19:12
4. Deut 5:11
5. Ps 5:9
6. Ps 10:7
7. Ps 34:13-14
8. Ps 144:8, 11
9. Pr 4:24
10. Pr 8:13
11. Pr 15:4
12. Pr 30:9-11
13. Is 59:4
14. Ezek 13:8
15. Hos 4:2
16. Matt 5:33-37
17. Matt 15:19
18. Mark 7:22
19. Col 3:8-9
20. 1 Pet 3:9-10
Curses are the second most mentioned theme (14 occurrences).
1. Ex 20:7
2. Ex 21:17
3. Ex 22:28
4. Lev 20:9
5. Num 22:6
6. 2 Kgs 2:24
7. Ps 10:7
8. Ps 59:12-13
9. Ps 109:17-18
10. Pr 30:9-11
11. Matt 26:74
12. Mark 14:71
13. Rom 12:14
14. Js 3:1-12
Vows are the third most mentioned theme (12 occurrences).
1. Ex 20:7
2. Lev 5:4
3. Lev 7:16
4. Num 21:2
5. Num 30:2-3
6. Deut 6:13
7. Deut 10:20
8. Matt 5:33-37
9. Matt 23:16-22
10. Matt 26:74
11. Mark 14:71
12. Js 5:12
Rude, defamatory, slanderous, abusive speech is the fourth most mentioned theme (9 occurrences).
1. Num 21:5
2. 2 Kgs 2:23
3. Pr 30:9-11
4. Matt 5:22
5. Mark 7:22
6. Eph 4:29, 31
7. Col 3:8-9
8. Js 4:11
9. Js 5:9

In terms of the usage of language in the biblical perspective, we can list the following observation:

Ten times the New Testament links the unity of the church with matters of speech (Eph 4:29, 31; 5:4; Col 3:8; 1 Tim 1:6; 6:3-5, 20; 2 Tim 2:14-19, 22-26; Titus 3:9).
One time the New Testament directly links matters of witness and language (Colossians 4:6). Indirectly we could also add Ephesians 5:4.

In short, the biblical view of language is primarily concerned with honesty and following through with one’s word, and making various promises as it impacts the unity of the community of believers. It is also concerned with speech and behavior that supports that unity. Finally, it is concerned with speech that supports the gospel.

To go full circle, George Janko should not have made a vow to stop cussing, and the Girls Gone Bible ladies were off base to assert that cussing separates one from God. But, the point still remains–if those ladies cringe at hearing another Christian cuss, then those Christians are not acting in love and should stop cussing in front of those ladies.

And, in closing, while the Bible suggests that no one can tame the tongue, the Holy Spirit does yield self-control in every believer, which empowers every Christian to abide in love for God and in love for others, including, but not limited to, foregoing their own freedoms for the sake of the church and for the sake of the gospel.

Resources

George Janko

@GeorgeJanko
https://www.youtube.com/@GeorgeJanko
“How Men Can Get A Good Woman – ‘Girls Gone Bible’ | EP. 51“

Girls Gone Bible

@GirlsGoneBible
https://www.youtube.com/@GirlsGoneBible

Ruslan KD

@RuslanKD
https://www.youtube.com/@RuslanKD
“George Janko PRESSED by Girls Gone Bible on CURSING & His Response is SHOCKING @GeorgeJanko”

THE BEAT by Allen Parr

@thebeatagp
https://www.youtube.com/@thebeatagp
“Is Cursing a SIN for Christians?”

Inspiring Philosophy

@InspiringPhilosophy
https://www.youtube.com/@InspiringPhilosophy
“Can Christians Use Swear Words?”

Works Cited

See the style guide.

BDAG.
HALOT.
Carmichael, Calum. 1985. Law and Narrative in the Bible (LNB). Ithaca: Cornell UP. Cited in WBC.
Longman III, Tremper. 2012. Job. Baker OT Wisdom & Psalms. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic. Accordance eBook.
NIVACOT.
Svigel, Michael. 2005. Toward An Evangelical Theology of Cussing. Bible.org (April 2005). Accessed March 28, 2024.
TDNT.
TDOT.
WBC.