Cursing

Cursing is both calling down harm on others and corrupt or filthy speech. Misusing the name of God is forbidden, and speech is to be clean and edifying.

The name of the Lord

• Exodus 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.You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.
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• Leviticus 24:15-16
  ¹⁵And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.And you are to tell the Israelites, ‘If anyone curses his God, he shall bear the consequences of his sin. ¹⁶And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD must surely be put to death; the whole assembly must surely stone him, whether he is a foreign resident or native; if he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.
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• Leviticus 19:12
  And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.
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Corrupt communication

• Ephesians 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.Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
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• Ephesians 5:4
  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.
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• Colossians 3:8
  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
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Blessing and cursing

• James 3:9-11
  ⁹Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! ¹¹Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
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• Romans 12:14
  Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
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• Luke 6:28
  Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
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• Romans 3:14
  Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
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Words reveal the heart

• Matthew 12:34-37
  ³⁴O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. ³⁵A 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.The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. ³⁶But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. ³⁷For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
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• Matthew 15:11
  Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”
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• Luke 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.The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
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Guarding the mouth

• Psalm 141:3
  Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
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• Psalm 19:14
  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
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• Proverbs 4:24
  Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 4 →

See also

• Speech
• Gossip
• Vows and oaths
• Anger
• Ten Commandments

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.