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

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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 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths but only what is good for building up,[a] as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.

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Footnotes

  1. 4.29 Other ancient authorities read building up faith

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, O Lord;
    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

“Those who desire to love life
    and to see good days,
let them keep their tongues from evil
    and their 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 Better the poor walking in integrity
    than one perverse of speech who is a fool.(A)

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

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Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk; but instead, 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 Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.(A)

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

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

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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 be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.(A)

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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 When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
    but the prudent are restrained in speech.(A)

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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 doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.(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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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) If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a such a small fire!(B) And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of life, and is itself set on fire by hell.[b](C)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.2 Gk a mature man
  2. 3.6 Gk 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 You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,(A)

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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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