But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
All Commentaries on Matthew 12:36 Go To Matthew 12
Jerome
AD 420
This, too, goes with what was said before, and the meaning is that on the day of judgment each person must render an account of his or her words. If an idle word which by no means edifies the listeners is not without harm to the speaker, how much more will you Pharisees, who criticize the works of the Holy Spirit and say that I cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils, have to render an account of your criticism? An idle word is what is spoken without benefit to the speaker and the listener. We overlook serious things and utter frivolous things and tell old wives’ tales. One who acts like a buffoon and makes mouths drop with boisterous laughter and who utters disgraceful things— that person shall be held to account, not for an idle word but a slanderous word. .
