Biblical Perspective on Profanity and Swearing in Speech
The Bible addresses profanity and swearing as a serious matter, often linking it to a desecration of God's name and a characteristic of the wicked [1]. The Old Testament explicitly forbids taking the Lord's name in vain (Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11) [1]. This prohibition extends beyond mere casual use to any act that treats God's name with disrespect or uses it for trivial purposes.
Profanity, in a broader sense, encompasses various forms of harmful speech. The Psalms describe the mouth of the wicked as "full of cursing, deceit, and oppression" (Psalm 10:7) [2]. Another passage notes, "You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit" (Psalm 50:19) [5]. Isaiah warns that "the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice profanity, and to utter error against Yahweh" (Isaiah 32:6) [6]. This suggests that profanity stems from an inner disposition of the heart [3].
The New Testament reinforces these prohibitions. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, instructs his followers not to swear at all, whether by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or one's own head, but to let their "yes" be yes and their "no" be no (Matthew 5:34-36; 23:21-22) [1]. James similarly admonishes, "But above all things, my brethren, swear not" (James 5:12) [1]. John Gill interprets James's instruction as a condemnation of "rash oaths, or in profane swearing," while acknowledging that a lawful oath taken in God's name for confirmation or to end strife is permissible [12]. Calvin also notes that swearing by God can be a way to testify that He is the true God and is part of true worship, provided it is not done hypocritically [11, 10]. However, the general thrust of these passages is against casual or false swearing.
Beyond explicit profanity, the Bible also condemns other forms of destructive speech, such as slander, which is considered an abomination to God (Proverbs 6:16, 19) [3]. This includes whispering, backbiting, evil surmising, tale-bearing, babbling, tattling, evil speaking, defaming, and bearing false witness [3]. Such "evil-speaking" is expressly forbidden and carries severe punishments (Titus 3:2; James 4:11; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:10) [4]. It is considered foreign to the Christian character and the example of Christ [4]. Anger, when connected with clamor and evil-speaking, is also condemned (Ephesians 4:31) [7]. Deceit, which often manifests in speech, is abhorred by God and comes from the heart (Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:22) [8]. The Bible presents profanity and other forms of harmful speech as characteristics of fools who deny and blaspheme God (Psalm 14:1; 53:1; 74:18) [9].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Swearing, Profane — Of all kinds is desecration of God's name and is forbidden -- Ex 20:7; Mt 5:34-36; 23:21,22; Jas 5:12. The wicked Addicted to. -- Ps 10:7; Ro 3:14. Love. -- Ps 109:17. Clothe themselves with. -- Ps 109:18. Guilt of -- Ex 20:7; De 5:11. Woe denounced against -- Mt 23:16. Nations visited for -- Jer 23:10; Ho 4:1-3. Punishment for -- Le 24:16,23; Ps 59:12; 109:17,18. Exemplified Son of Israelitish woman. -- Le 24:11. Gehazi. -- 2Ki 5:20. Peter. -- Mt 26:74.”
- Psalms “His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression. Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity. -- Psalms 10:7”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Slander — An abomination to God -- Pr 6:16,19. Forbidden -- Ex 23:1; Eph 4:31; Jas 4:11. Includes Whispering. -- Ro 1:29; 2Co 12:20. Backbiting. -- Ro 1:30; 2Co 12:20. Evil surmising. -- 1Ti 6:4. Tale-bearing. -- Le 19:16. Babbling. -- Ec 10:11. Tattling. -- 1Ti 5:13. Evil speaking. -- Ps 41:5; 109:20. Defaming. -- Jer 20:10; 1Co 4:13. Bearing false witness. -- Ex 20:16; De 5:20; Lu 3:14. Judging charitably. -- Jas 4:11,12. Raising false reports. -- Ex 23:1. Repeating matters. -- Pr 17:9. Is a deceitful work -- Ps 52:2. Comes from the evil heart -- Mt 15:19; Lu 6:45.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Evil-speaking — Is expressly forbidden (Titus 3:2; James 4:11), and severe punishments are denounced against it (1 Cor. 5:11; 6:10). It is spoken of also with abhorrence (Ps. 15:3; Prov. 18:6, 7), and is foreign to the whole Christian character and the example of Christ.”
- Psalms ““You give your mouth to evil. Your tongue frames deceit. -- Psalms 50:19”
- Isaiah “For the fool will speak folly, and his heart will work iniquity, to practice profanity, and to utter error against Yahweh, To make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. -- Isaiah 32:6”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Anger — Forbidden -- Ec 7:9; Mt 5:22; Ro 12:19. A work of the flesh -- Ga 5:20. A characteristic of fools -- Pr 12:16; 14:29; 27:3; Ec 7:9. Connected with Pride. -- Pr 21:24. Cruelty. -- Ge 49:7; Pr 27:3,4. Clamour and evil-speaking. -- Eph 4:31. Malice and blasphemy. -- Col 3:8. Strife and contention. -- Pr 21:19; 29:22; 30:33. Brings its own punishment -- Job 5:2; Pr 19:19; 25:28. Grievous words stir up -- Jdj 12:4; 2Sa 19:43; Pr 15:1. Should not betray us into sin -- Ps 37:8; Eph 4:26. In prayer be free from -- 1Ti 2:8. May be averted by wisdom -- Pr 29:8. Meeknes”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Deceit — Is falsehood -- Ps 119:118. The tongue, the instrument of -- Ro 3:13. Comes from the heart -- Mr 7:22. Characteristic of the heart -- Jer 17:9. God abhors -- Ps 5:6. Forbidden -- Pr 24:28; 1Pe 3:10. Christ was perfectly free from -- Isa 53:9; 1Pe 2:22. Saints Free from. -- Ps 24:4; Zep 3:13; Re 14:5. Purposed against. -- Job 27:4. Avoid. -- Job 31:5. Shun those addicted to. -- Ps 101:7. Pray for deliverance from those who use. -- Ps 43:1; 120:2. Delivered from those who use. -- Ps 72:14. Should beware of those who teach. -- Eph 5:6; Col 2:8. Should lay aside”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fools — All men are, without the knowledge of God -- Tit 3:3. Deny God -- Ps 14:1; 53:1. Blaspheme God -- Ps 74:18. Reproach God -- Ps 74:22. Make a mock at sin -- Pr 14:9. Despise instruction -- Pr 1:7; 15:5. Hate knowledge -- Pr 1:22. Delight not in understanding -- Pr 18:2. Sport themselves in mischief -- Pr 10:23. Walk in darkness -- Ec 2:14. Hate to depart from evil -- Pr 13:19. Worship of, hateful to God -- Ec 5:1. Are Corrupt and abominable. -- Ps 14:1. Self-sufficient. -- Pr 12:15; Ro 1:22. Self-confident. -- Pr 14:16. Self-deceivers. -- Pr 14:8. Mere profess”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 17.21: from hypocrisy. By the mouth and lips he means an outward profession, which belongs equally to the good and the bad; but they differ in this respect, that bad men have nothing but idle ostentation, and think that they have done all that is required, if they open their lips in honour of God; but good men, out of the deepest feeling of the heart, present themselves before God, and, while they yield their obedience, confess and acknowledge how far they are from a perfect discharge of their duty. Thus he makes use of a figure of speech, very fre”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, section 7.29: willingly adopt it; for since one part of the worship of God is swearing , by taking a part for the whole, as I have said, it fitly describes the whole of the worship of God. Again, to “swear by the Lord” often means to testify that he is the true God. ( Deuteronomy 6:13 .) In a word, it denotes a perfect agreement with the Church of God. Hence we ought to learn that outward confession is a necessary part of the true worship of God; for if any person wish to keep his faith shut up in his heart, he will have but a cold regard for it. ( Romans ”
- James (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on James 5:12: But above all things, my brethren, swear not,.... As impatience should not show itself in secret sighs, groans, murmurings, and repinings, so more especially it should not break forth in rash oaths, or in profane swearing; for of such sort of swearing, and of such oaths, is the apostle to be understood; otherwise an oath is very lawful, when taken in the fear and name of God, and made by the living God, and is used for the confirmation of anything of moment, and in order to put an end to strife; God himself, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and angels, and good men, are in S”