But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.

Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him go. The believing brother or sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. . . .

Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!

Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.

Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.

Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her

Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.

The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit?

Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.

Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.

If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. . . .

Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him: . . .

Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them.

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. . . .

Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. This is why the ancients were commended. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. . . .

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”

Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.

Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.

The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The LORD executes righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

“For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel. “He who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of Hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not break faith.

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.

But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, brings adultery upon her. And he who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

for he is keeping track, inwardly counting the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.

Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.

This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, who testifies to everything he saw. This is the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near. John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven Spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood, . . .

Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.

He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.

Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.

and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

You save an afflicted people, but Your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, consider this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man, or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

I know that the LORD upholds justice for the poor and defends the cause of the needy.

In this way they can train the young women to love their husbands and children,

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.

He executes justice for the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free,

On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with violence and deceit.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints— the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel . . .

It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.

You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.

Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.

The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and well-doing.

The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.

For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David. I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will recount all Your wonders.

But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these! . . .

Finally, after she had pressed him daily with her words and pleaded until he was sick to death,

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. . . .

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hardness of heart; but it was not this way from the beginning.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”