26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues(A) deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

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29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,(A) but only what is helpful for building others up(B) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

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Set a guard over my mouth,(A) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.(B)

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10 For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.

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19 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than a fool whose lips are perverse.(A)

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Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk(A) or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.(B)

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13 keep your tongue(A) from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.(B)

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31 From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom,(A)
    but a perverse tongue(B) will be silenced.

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Let your conversation be always full of grace,(A) seasoned with salt,(B) so that you may know how to answer everyone.(C)

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19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
    but the prudent hold their tongues.(A)

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22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.(A)

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We all stumble(A) in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say(B) is perfect,(C) able to keep their whole body in check.(D)

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.(E) Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.(F) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire,(G) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,(H) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.(I)

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Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters,(A) take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak(B) and slow to become angry,

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