New Century Version NCV
New International Version NIV
19 My dear brothers and sisters, always be willing to listen and slow to speak. Do not become angry easily,
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My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
20 because anger will not help you live the right kind of life God wants.
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because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
21 So put out of your life every evil thing and every kind of wrong. Then in gentleness accept God's teaching that is planted in your hearts, which can save you.
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Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do what God's teaching says; when you only listen and do nothing, you are fooling yourselves.
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Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
23 Those who hear God's teaching and do nothing are like people who look at themselves in a mirror.
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Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror
24 They see their faces and then go away and quickly forget what they looked like.
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and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 But the truly happy people are those who carefully study God's perfect law that makes people free, and they continue to study it. They do not forget what they heard, but they obey what God's teaching says. Those who do this will be made happy.
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But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 People who think they are religious but say things they should not say are just fooling themselves. Their "religion" is worth nothing.
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Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
27 Religion that God accepts as pure and without fault is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help, and keeping yourself free from the world's evil influence.
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Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.