³⁷ Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.^[a]

¹² Above all, brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.^[a]

⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.^(A)

⁹ Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices

¹⁷ Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to ordinary human standards,^[a] ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? ¹⁸ As surely as God is faithful, our word to you is not^[b] “Yes and No.” ¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not “Yes and No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.”^{(A) 20} For in him every one of God’s promises is a “Yes.” For this reason it is through him that we say the “Amen,” to the glory of God.^(B)

⁴⁴ You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.^(A)

Rules for the New Life

²⁵ So then, putting away falsehood, let each of you speak the truth with your neighbor, for we are members of one another.^(A)

³ But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.^[a](A)

¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.^(A)

¹⁸ We know that those who are born of God do not sin, but the one who was born of God protects them, and the evil one does not touch them.^[a](A)