Ephesians · Chapter 4 · Friendship

Ephesians 4:29 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context

Read this verse slowly. Let it settle before you move on.

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Topics #friendship

Read in chapter context · Ephesians 4

Both translations, side by side

WEB · World English Bible

"Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear."

KJV · King James Version

"Let4550 no3361 3956 corrupt4550 communication3056 proceed1607 out of1537 your5216 mouth4750, but235 that which1536 is good18 to4314 the use5532 of edifying3619, that2443 it may minister1325 grace5485 unto the hearers191. to: or, to edify profitably"

How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses communication, which, use, edifying, while the WEB renders these as speech, only, what, for. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.

In context

Ephesians 4:29 in Ephesians 4

A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Ephesians 4:29 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Ephesians 4. Read the full chapter →

v.27 and don’t give place to the devil.
v.28 Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, producing with his hands something that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need.
v.29 Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.
v.30 Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
v.31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice.

Book background

About the Book of Ephesians

Testament: New Testament
Genre: Pauline epistle
Author: Paul
Date written: c. 60–62 AD
Audience: The church at Ephesus (and likely a circular letter)
Chapters: 6

Ephesians is Paul's soaring meditation on the Christian's identity in Christ — chosen before creation, saved by grace through faith (2:8-9), united in one new humanity, called to walk in love, and equipped with the armour of God for spiritual warfare. Chapter 5 contains the classic teaching on marriage as a picture of Christ and the church.

Setting: Written from Roman imprisonment.

Key themes: unity · grace · church · spiritual warfare · identity

Read Ephesians from the beginning →

Memorisation aid

How to memorise Ephesians 4:29

Ephesians 4:29 contains 32 words in 3 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.

1

Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth

LNCSPO
2

but only what is good for building others up as the need may be

BOWIGF
3

that it may give grace to those who hear.

TIMGGT

Frequently asked

FAQ about Ephesians 4:29

What does Ephesians 4:29 say?

Ephesians 4:29 reads: "Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear." — from the New Testament, Ephesians (Pauline epistle). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.

What book of the Bible is Ephesians 4:29 in?

Ephesians 4:29 is in the book of Ephesians, traditionally attributed to Paul and written around c. 60–62 AD. Ephesians is pauline epistle in the New Testament, originally addressed to The church at Ephesus (and likely a circular letter). Best known for "by grace you have been saved through faith" and the armour of God.

What is Ephesians 4:29 about?

Ephesians 4:29 is primarily a Bible verse about Friendship. Within Ephesians, Ephesians is Paul's soaring meditation on the Christian's identity in Christ — chosen before creation, saved by grace through faith (2:8-9), united in one new humanity, called to walk in love, and equipped with the armour of God for spiritual warfare. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.

What is the difference between Ephesians 4:29 in WEB and KJV?

Ephesians 4:29 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "Let4550 no3361 3956 corrupt4550 communication3056 proceed1607 out of1537 your5216 mouth4750, but235 that which1536 is good18 to4314 the use5532 of edifying3619, that2443 it may minister1325 grace5485 unto the hearers191. to: or, to edify profitably". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.

How long is Ephesians 4:29?

Ephesians 4:29 is 32 words in the WEB translation (155 characters), broken into 3 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 10 seconds.

How can I memorise Ephesians 4:29?

To memorise Ephesians 4:29, split it into its 3 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.

Why does Ephesians 4:29 matter in Ephesians?

How can I apply Ephesians 4:29 today?

Many readers use Ephesians 4:29 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Ephesians 4:29 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.

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