Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Key Words

* Always or at all times, every when
* Grace (from chairo); meaning graciousness. Other translation say, kind and wise, or pleasant and winsome.
* know or never be at a loss.
* Salt (from hals); figuratively, prudence.

Salt preserves, but the context appears to suggest that the use of the salt is to teach “how it behooveth you to answer to each man,” 😅! Therefore, the “seasoning with salt” is to provide against lacking taste.

Colossians were to seek for themselves the readiness to “every good word,” for their faith was assailed by philosophy and empty deceit (Colossians 2:4, 8, 23) and by small-mindedness (Colossians 2:16, 18, 20, 21). They were “set for the defense of the gospel,” placed in the van of the conflict against heresy. They needed, therefore, to have all their wits about them, so as to be able, as occasion required, to make answer to each of their opponents and questioners.

Cross references

Mark 9:50, Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”

“The hope that was in them” (1 Peter 3:15), was a chief object of the attack made on the Colossians believers (Colossians 1:5, 23, 27; Colossians 2:18; Colossians 3:15).

1 Peter 3:15, But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

Proverbs 15:28, The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.

Proverbs 22:20,21, Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?

Application

When we tell others about Christ, it is important always to be gracious in what we say. No matter how much sense the message makes, we lose our effectiveness if we are not courteous. Just as we like to be respected, we must respect others if we want them to listen to what we have to say.