Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, rather only what is good for building up to meet the need, so that it may give grace to those who hear it. (Ephesians 4:29)
The book of Ephesians in the New Testament is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the believers living around the city of Ephesus. Paul had spent nearly three years in the city preaching the Good News and teaching new believers. He wrote the letter from prison in Rome about five years after he left Ephesus to remind the Ephesians about what they had learned.
Ephesians 4:17 to 32 is a well known passage providing instructions for Christian living focusing on putting off the old corrupted way of life (Ephesians 4:22) and putting on a new righteous and holy way of life (Ephesians 4:24). Paul lists specific examples which are often called “put offs and put ons” such as in verse 4:29 (see top of post) which addresses how the follower of Christ should speak.
Following Christ should change everything about us, including the way we speak. The Bible says we should put off unwholesome (σαπρός) talk and instead put on or speak good words that build up others. Our words should also “give grace” or bless those we speak to. God is the main source of all blessing. But we are His human “pipelines” and “sprinklers” to distribute His blessing to those around us through what we say (and do). Our words are also like seeds that fall on the soil of the human heart. Will they yield weeds or a bountiful harvest?
So, what kind of speech is included in unwholesome words? English Bibles translate the Greek word σαπρός in a variety of ways: Unwholesome, corrupt or corrupting, foul, abusive, evil. As with all words, σαπρός has a range of meanings* depending on how it is used in Greek. σαπρός fruit is spoiled, rotten, or poor quality; σαπρός building stones are poor quality or unusable; σαπρός shoes are worn-out; a σαπρός name is notorious; σαπρός trees are barren or yield poor quality fruit. Basically, something described as σαπρός is bad in some way: rotten, poor quality, unusable, or worthless. It has little or no value and may even be harmful.
So, unwholesome (σαπρός) words are worthless words and may even be harmful. They don’t build up others. They include obscenity, vulgarity, abusive language, malicious gossip, slander, and any speech that injures or sparks dissension. These kinds of words should never be spoken.
*Note. See σαπρός in A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG), page 913.
Word Focus Lexicon
Lexical Form: σαπρός σαπρά σαπρόν <Hear It> Gloss: bad: spoiled, rotten, poor quality, unusable; bad: evil, unwholesome Part of Speech: Adjective New Testament Frequency: 8 Strong’s Number:G4550 (Link to Blue Letter Bible Lexicon)
Unless otherwise noted, English translations of Bible verses are by the author from the Greek text and are not quotations from any copyrighted Bible version or translation.
Koine Foundations 
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