^31 (A)Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

⁸ But now ^(A)you must put them all away: ^(B)anger, wrath, malice, ^(C)slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

^2 (A)to speak evil of no one, ^(B)to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and ^(C)to show perfect courtesy toward all people. ³ For ^(D)we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

A Living Stone and a Holy People

2 ^(A)So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

Hearing and Doing the Word

^19 (A)Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person ^(B)be quick to hear, ^(C)slow to speak, ^(D)slow to anger;

^26 (A)Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

¹⁴ But if you have bitter ^(A)jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. ¹⁵ This is not ^(B)the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, ^(C)demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. ¹⁷ But ^(D)the wisdom from above is first pure, then ^(E)peaceable, gentle, open to reason, ^(F)full of mercy and good fruits, ^(G)impartial and ^(H)sincere. ¹⁸ And ^(I)a harvest of righteousness ^(J)is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Warning Against Worldliness

4 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions^[a] are ^(K)at war within you?^{[b] 2} You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

¹⁹ Husbands, love your wives, and ^(A)do not be harsh with them.