Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
With grace - `IN grace' as its clement, investiture (Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 3:16). Contrast those "of the world" who "therefore speak of the world" (1 John 4:5). Even the smallest leaf of the believer should be full of the sap of the Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 17:7-8): his conversation cheerful without levity, serious without gloom. Compare Luke 4:22; John 7:46, Jesus' speech.
Seasoned with salt - i:e., the savour of fresh spiritual wisdom and earnestness, excluding all "corrupt communication," also tasteless insipidity (Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:50; Ephesians 4:29). Compare all the sacrifices seasoned with salt (Leviticus 2:13). Not far from Colosse there was a salt lake: so the image here is appropriate.
How ye ought to answer (1 Peter 3:15). This shows the "salt" means mainly 'wholesome point and pertinency' (Ellicott), commending itself to the hearers, to their edification.
Every man. EACH is to be answered appropriately to his question, and to the spirit in which he asks, whether his question be put sincerely or insincerely, in ignorance or ill will (Proverbs 26:5). So Jesus, Matthew 16:1-4; Matthew 21:24-27; Paul, Acts 17:22, etc.; Acys 24:25; 26.