26 If anyone thinks he is religious (A)and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's (B)religion is worthless.

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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 (A)Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give (B)grace to those who hear.

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

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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

(A)“Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;

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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 (A)Better is a poor person who (B)walks in his integrity
    than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.

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

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Let there be (A)no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, (B)which are out of place, but instead (C)let there be thanksgiving.

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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 (A)Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from (B)speaking deceit.

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

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31 (A)The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
    but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

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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 speech always (A)be gracious, (B)seasoned with salt, (C)so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

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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 (A)When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    (B)but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

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

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22 But be (A)doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

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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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For (A)we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, (B)he is a perfect man, (C)able also to bridle his whole body. If we put (D)bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet (E)it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And (F)the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, (G)staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,[a] and set on fire by hell.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:6 Or wheel of birth
  2. James 3:6 Greek Gehenna

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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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;

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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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