Greek word · G3473

μωρολογία

mōrologia

foolish talk

Foolish, silly, empty talk; the chatter of a mōros, a 'fool'.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

silly talking , (New Testament)

from μωρολόγος (ML)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ephesians 5:4

Range of meaning

Foolish, silly, empty talk; the chatter of a mōros, a 'fool'.

Against the English

'Foolish talk' (BSB, NIV, ESV) is accurate. 'Silly talk' (NASB) may sound too light. In biblical usage 'fool' is a moral and religious category, not just a matter of intelligence.

Used elsewhere in the period

Only here in the New Testament. It is rare in Greek literature, and BDAG cites uses in Aristotle and Plutarch for idle, senseless chatter. In the Greek Old Testament and Jewish wisdom writing the 'fool' is the one who says in his heart 'there is no God' (Ps 14:1) and whose mouth pours out folly (Prov 15:2). The Qumran Community Rule (1QS 7.9) punished anyone who spoke 'a foolish word' with three months' penalty.

Where it appears

Ephesians · 1

  1. Ephesians 5:4 μωρολογία foolish talking

    Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.

    Here: Literally 'fool-talk' (mōros, 'fool', plus logos, 'word'). It means the empty, stupid chatter of a 'fool'. In the Jewish wisdom sense, a fool is someone who lives as if God did not matter, so this is more than harmless silliness.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.