Complete Bible Study Guide
What Does the Bible Say About Swearing And Cursing?
14 Scripture references with full text and commentary
Understanding Swearing And Cursing in the Bible
What does the Bible say about swearing and cursing? Browse 14 carefully selected verses that illuminate this biblical theme.
Top 10 Verses About Swearing And Cursing
- 1Exodus 20:7
“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
KJV - 2Proverbs 4:24
“Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. a froward: Heb. frowardness of mouth and perverseness of lips”
KJV - 3Matthew 5:22
“But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Raca: that is, Vain fellow”
KJV - 4Matthew 5:33
“Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:”
KJV - 5Matthew 12:34
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
KJV - 6Matthew 15:11
“Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”
KJV - 7Luke 6:45
“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.”
KJV - 8
- 9Ephesians 4:29
“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. to: or, to edify profitably”
KJV - 10Ephesians 5:4
“Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.”
KJV
Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Swearing And Cursing? (2 Verses)
“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
“Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. a froward: Heb. frowardness of mouth and perverseness of lips”
New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Swearing And Cursing? (12 Verses)
“But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Raca: that is, Vain fellow”
“Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:”
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
“Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”
“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.”
“Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:”
“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. to: or, to edify profitably”
“Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.”
“But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”
“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.”
“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”
“But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.”
How to Study What the Bible Says About Swearing And Cursing
- 1
Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.
- 2
Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about swearing and cursing. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.
- 3
Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.
- 4
Memorise at least one key verse about swearing and cursing and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.
Practical Application
Studying what the Bible says about swearing and cursing is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:
Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on swearing and cursing needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.
Share what you have learned about swearing and cursing with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.
Pray through the key verses about swearing and cursing, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.
How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Swearing And Cursing?
You have studied 14 verses about swearing and cursing. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.