SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:4
ni palabras deshonestas, ni necedades, ni truhanerías, que no convienen; sino antes bien acciones de gracias.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ephesians 5:4
Verse 4. Neither filthiness] aiscrothv? Any thing base or vile in words or acts. Foolish talking] mwrologia? Scurrility, buffoonery, ridicule, or what tends to expose another to contempt.
Nor jesting] eutrapelia? Artfully turned discourses or words, from eu, well or easily, and trepw, I turn; words that can be easily turned to other meanings; double entendres; chaste words which, from their connection, and the manner in which they are used, convey an obscene or offensive meaning. It also means jests, puns, witty sayings, and mountebank repartees of all kinds.
Which are not convenient] ouk anhkonta? They do not come up to the proper standard; they are utterly improper in themselves, and highly unbecoming in those who profess Christianity.
But rather giving of thanks.] eucaristia? Decent and edifying discourse or thanksgiving to God. Prayer or praise is the most suitable language for man; and he who is of a trifling, light disposition, is ill fitted for either. How can a man, who has been talking foolishly or jestingly in company, go in private to magnify God for the use of his tongue which he has abused, or his rational faculties which he has degraded?
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting , &c.] The former of these may include all filthy gestures and behaviour, every indecent habit and attire, and all actions which have a tendency to excite lust; and also all impure words, these discover an impure heart, and are the means of corrupting men's minds and manners; filthy speaking, is a verbal commission of the things that are spoken of; and it may include all impure songs and books, and the reading or hearing of them; this is what the Jews call hp lwbn , filthiness of the mouth, obscene words; which they say they do not use on feast days, as the Gentiles do f57 : foolish talking does not so much design every imprudent thing that is said, as that which is wicked, corrupt, unsavoury, light, vain, idle, and unprofitable; and takes in all fabulous stories, and mimicking of fools in words and gestures: and jesting, when it is with wantonness, and excites unto it, and is inconsistent with truth, and when the Scriptures are abused by it, and not our neighbour's edification, but hurt, is promoted by it, ought not to be used: which are not convenient ; are disagreeable to the will of God, and unsuitable to the characters of the saints, and are very unbecoming them to practise: but rather giving of thanks ; instead of these, as the Syriac version renders it; it is much more suitable and becoming to give thanks to God for temporal and spiritual mercies, and to speak those things which are grateful to good men; this is to use the tongue to much better purpose, than in an obscene, foolish, or jocose way: one of Stephens's copies read, but only of giving of thanks.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-14 - Filthy lusts must be rooted out. These sins must be dreaded an detested. Here are not only cautions against gross acts of sin, but against what some may make light of. But these things are so far from being profitable. that they pollute and poison the hearers. Ou cheerfulness should show itself as becomes Christians, in what may ten to God's glory. A covetous man makes a god of his money; places tha hope, confidence, and delight, in worldly good, which should be in God only. Those who allow themselves, either in the lusts of the flesh or the love of the world, belong not to the kingdom of grace, nor shal they come to the kingdom of glory. When the vilest transgressors repen and believe the gospel, they become children of obedience, from who God's wrath is turned away. Dare we make light of that which bring down the wrath of God? Sinners, like men in the dark, are going the know not whither, and doing they know not what. But the grace of God wrought a mighty change in the souls of many. Walk as children of light, as having knowledge and holiness. These works of darkness ar unfruitful, whatever profit they may boast; for they end in the destruction of the impenitent sinner. There are many ways of abetting or taking part in the sins of others; by commendation, counsel consent, or concealment. And if we share with others in their sins, we must expect to share in their plagues. If we do not reprove the sins of others, we have fellowship with them. A good man will be ashamed to speak of what many wicked men are not ashamed to do. We must have no only a sight and a knowledge that sin is sin, and in some measur shameful, but see it as a breach of God's holy law. After the exampl of prophets and apostles, we should call on those asleep and dead i sin, to awake and arise, that Christ may give them light.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 αισχροτης 151 και 2532 μωρολογια 3473 η 2228 ευτραπελια 2160 τα 3588 ουκ 3756 ανηκοντα 433 5723 αλλα 235 μαλλον 3123 ευχαριστια 2169
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. Filthiness (aiscrothv). Obscenity.
Foolish talking (mwrologia). Only here in the New Testament. Talk which is both foolish and sinful. Compare corrupt communication, ch. iv. 29. It is more than random or idle talk. "Words obtain a new earnestness when assumed into the ethical terminology of Christ's school. Nor, in seeking to enter fully into the meaning of this one, ought we to leave out of sight the greater emphasis which the words fool, foolish, folly obtain in Scripture than elsewhere they have or can have" (Trench).
Jesting (eutrapelia). Only here in the New Testament. From euj well or easily, prepw to turn. That which easily turns and adapts itself to the moods and conditions of those with whom it may be dealing at the moment. From this original sense of versatility it came to be applied to morals, as timeserving, and to speech with the accompanying notion of dissimulation. Aristotle calls it chastened insolence. The sense of the word here is polished and witty speech as the instrument of sin; refinement and versatility without the flavor of Christian grace. "Sometimes it is lodged in a sly question, in a smart answer, in a quirkish reason, in shrewd intimation, in cunningly diverting or cleverly retorting an objection: sometimes it is couched in a bold scheme of speech, in a tart irony, in a lusty hyperbole, in a startling metaphor, in a plausible reconciling of contradictions, or in acute nonsense.... Sometimes an affected simplicity, sometimes a presumptuous bluntness giveth it being.... Its ways are unaccountable and inexplicable, being answerable to the numberless rovings of fancy and windings of language" (Barrow, Sermon xiv., "Against Foolish Talking and Jesting." The whole passage is well worth reading).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:4 {Filthiness} (aiscrotes). Old word from aiscros (base), here alone in N.T. {Foolish talking} (mwrologia). Late word from mwrologos (mwros, logos), only here in N.T. {Jesting} (eutrapelia). Old word from eutrapelos (eu, trepw, to turn) nimbleness of wit, quickness in making repartee (so in Plato and Plutarch), but in low sense as here ribaldry, scurrility, only here in N.T. All of these disapproved vices are hapax legomena in the N.T. {Which are not befitting} (ha ouk aneken). Same idiom (imperfect with word of propriety about the present) in #Col 3:18. Late MSS. read ta ouk anekonta like ta me kaqekonta in #Ro 1:28.
