37 (A)But let [a]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:37 Lit. your word be yes yes

37 But make sure your statement is, ‘[a]Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is [b]of (A)evil origin.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:37 I.e., a clear “yes” or “no”
  2. Matthew 5:37 Or from the evil one

37 But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’ [a firm yes or no]; anything more than that comes from the evil one.(A)

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37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;(A) anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 5:37 Or from evil

26 If anyone [a]among you thinks he is religious, and (A)does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

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Footnotes

  1. James 1:26 NU omits among you

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not [a](A)bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

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Footnotes

  1. James 1:26 Or control

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious [scrupulously observant of the rituals of his faith], and does not control his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless (futile, barren).

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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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For (A)we all stumble in many things. (B)If anyone does not stumble in word, (C)he is a [a]perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:2 mature

For we all (A)stumble in many ways. (B)If anyone does not stumble in [a]what he says, he is a (C)perfect man, able to [b](D)rein in the whole body as well.

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:2 Lit word
  2. James 3:2 Or hold in check

For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses].

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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)

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Even so (A)the tongue is a little member and (B)boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And (C)the tongue is a fire, a world of [a]iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it (D)defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of [b]nature; and it is set on fire by [c]hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, (E)full of deadly poison.

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:6 unrighteousness
  2. James 3:6 existence
  3. James 3:6 Gr. Gehenna

So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it (A)boasts of great things.

(B)See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And (C)the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among [a]our body’s parts as that which (D)defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our [b]life, and is set on fire by [c](E)hell. For every [d]species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human [e]race. But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of (F)deadly poison.

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:6 Lit our parts
  2. James 3:6 Or existence, origin
  3. James 3:6 Gr Gehenna
  4. James 3:7 Lit nature
  5. James 3:7 Lit nature

In the same sense, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark! And the tongue is [in a sense] a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life [the cycle of man’s existence], and is itself set on fire by [a]hell (Gehenna). For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the human tongue; it is a restless evil [undisciplined, unstable], full of deadly poison.

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:6 See note Matt 5:22.

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.(A) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire,(B) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,(C) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.(D)

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.(E)

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