Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. — Ephesians 4:29

Paul commands us not to let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths. But what is “unwholesome” talk? At first glance, one might conclude that Paul is referring to vulgarities; however, as I examine the word “unwholesome,” I am lead to a deeper conclusion. If something is unwholesome, it is not whole; it is incomplete. Something that is unwholesome has been broken or divided. A unity that was once present has been destroyed.

If we read the Bible carefully, we will see that unity is a big part of God’s plan for us. He wants his people to be one, to be united in his Spirit, because it is only through unity that we can attain to “the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13) Just in that fragment of a sentence there are two allusions to completeness, wholeness.

Now, if we apply this understanding to “unwholesome talk,” I think it means any talk that breaks and divides. It could be harsh words that break a relationship, dividing people. It could be talking down to someone, hurting their self-esteem, and making them feel less than whole. Anything that breaks the unity we have in Christ — whether it be name-calling, talking behind someone’s back, coarse joking, or gossiping—is unwholesome talk. And when we talk in this way, we are becoming un-whole ourselves, because we are breaking the unity we have with Christ.

Therefore, let us make every effort to keep the bond of unity we have with our brothers and sisters and also with Christ by avoiding unwholesome talk. (Ephesians 4:3)