A.T. Robertson Commentary Colossians 4:6

"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one." — Colossians 4:6 (ASV)

Seasoned with salt (αλατ ηρτυμενος). The same verb αρτυω (old verb from αιρω, to fit, to arrange) about salt in Mr 9:50; Luke 14:34. Nowhere else in the N.T. Not too much salt, not too little. Plutarch uses salt of speech, the wit which flavours speech (cf. Attic salt). Our word salacious is this same word degenerated into vulgarity. Grace and salt (wit, sense) make an ideal combination. Every teacher will sympathize with Paul's desire "that ye know how ye must answer each one" (ειδενα πως δε υμας εν εκαστω αποκρινεσθα). Who does know?