⁶ Do not let your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake; why should God be angry at your words and destroy the work of your hands?

²⁶ If any think they are religious and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.^(A)

⁸ Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we^[a] have worked for but may receive a full reward.^(A)

² For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is mature,^[a] able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.^(A)

⁷ For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.^(A)

Reverence, Humility, and Contentment

5 ^[a]Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools, for they do not know how to keep from doing evil.^{[b](A) 2 [c]}Never be rash with your mouth nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.^(B)

¹³ the work of each builder will become visible, for the day^[a] will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done.^{(A) 14} If the work that someone has built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a wage. ¹⁵ If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire.

²⁵ The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the Israelites, and they shall be forgiven; it was unintentional, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire^[a] to the Lord, and their purification offering before the Lord, for their error.^(A)

⁴ Or when any of you utter aloud a rash oath for a bad or a good purpose, whatever people utter in an oath and are unaware of it, when you come to know it, you shall in any of these be guilty. ⁵ When you realize your guilt in any of these, you shall confess the sin that you have committed,^{(A) 6} and you shall bring to the Lord, as your penalty for the sin that you have committed, a female from the flock, a sheep or a goat, as a purification offering, and the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for your sin.