Saturday, March 2, 2024
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29 KJV).
What is this “corrupt communication?”
The Greek word rendered “corrupt” here is “sapros.” Let us see how our King James translators handled it elsewhere.
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt [sapros] tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt [sapros] tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:15-20).
“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt [sapros], and his fruit corrupt [sapros]: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:33-37).
“For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt [sapros] fruit; neither doth a corrupt [sapros] tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:43-45).
In all the above verses, including today’s Scripture, the theme is corrupt speech….
333 Words of Grace 