II Timothy 2:16

II Timothy 2

16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.

God is very interested in our speech. We know we shouldn’t use unwholesome talk (Ephesians 4:29) and that we shouldn’t gossip. But we should also guard our lips against irreverent babble according to verse 16.

So what is irreverent speech? It can be disrespectful or it can mock others. Sometimes it is just thoughtless or meaningless words. We should keep watch over what we say, always considering the consequences or fruit of our words. Why is this important? Verse 16 says that irreverent babble leads people into ungodliness.

Your words can lead others to sin. If you say something disrespectful, you can spread that attitude of disrespect to someone else. You can cause people to begin gossiping about the situation and to fall further into ungodliness. You can also cause anger or resentment in people, especially the ones you are speaking against. Thoughtless words can hurt feelings and develop into bitterness. Right after this in chapter two, it says that words spoken as irreverent babble spread like gangrene. They are super contagious and damaging. We must watch our mouths!

Proverbs is full of verses about what we say. If we guard our mouths, we will stay out of trouble (21:23). If we guard our mouths, we preserve our life but if we open it widely (talk a lot) we bring ourselves to ruin (13:3). Death and life are in the power of the tongue (18:21). Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise (17:28). And there are many more! If you are struggling with what you say, Proverbs is a great place to start reading.