My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. | You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. |
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. | Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. |
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Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. | But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. |
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. | But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does. |
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. | If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless. |
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. | Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. |