| He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. | Like a city that has been breached and made defenseless is the man devoid of self-control. |
| For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. | For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but rather a spirit of power and of love and of wisdom. |
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| And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. | In view of all this, you should make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with piety, and piety with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. |
| He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. | It is better to be a patient man rather than a warrior, one who controls his temper rather than one who captures a city. |
| But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. | In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. |
| Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. | Remember this, my beloved brethren: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to anger. |
| Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. | The tongue has the power over life and death; those who cherish it will enjoy its fruits. |
| There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. | No trial has confronted you except what a person can stand. God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength. But together with the trial he will also provide a way out and the strength to bear it. |
| Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. | So we must not fall asleep as the others do, but we must stay alert and sober. |
| A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame. | A fool is quick to show his anger, but a prudent man ignores an insult. |
| For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. | For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to the entire human race. It teaches us to reject godless ways and worldly desires, and in the present age to lead lives that are temperate, just, and godly. |
| A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. | A fool gives free rein to his anger, but a wise man bides his time and calms it. |
| But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. | Rather, I discipline my body and bring it under control, for fear that after preaching to others I myself may be disqualified. |
| And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. | Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds, so that you will be able to discern the will of God and to know what is good and acceptable and perfect. |
| And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. | Everyone who seeks a prize submits himself to rigorous self-discipline in every respect. They do so to win a perishable crown, while we seek an imperishable one. |
| For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. | For we are not struggling against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, the powers, and the cosmic rulers of this present darkness, and against the spirits of evil in the heavens. |
| Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. | Do not swerve either to the right or to the left; keep your foot far from evil. |
| Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. | Be on your guard that you do not lose what we have worked to accomplish so that you will receive your reward in full. |
| I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid? | I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look with desire upon a virgin. |
| Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. | Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by mutual consent for a specified time so as to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan may not tempt you by taking advantage of your lack of self-control. |
| For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. | It is the will of God that you should lead a life of sanctity. You must refrain from sexual immorality. Each of you must learn to acquire a wife from pure and honorable motives, not to gratify passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. |
