| Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. | Like a city that has been breached and made defenseless is the man devoid of self-control. |
| For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. | 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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| For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. | 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. |
| Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes 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, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things 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. |
| My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. | Remember this, my beloved brethren: everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak and slow to anger. |
| The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. | The tongue has the power over life and death; those who cherish it will enjoy its fruits. |
| No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure 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. |
| So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. | So we must not fall asleep as the others do, but we must stay alert and sober. |
| Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. | A fool is quick to show his anger, but a prudent man ignores an insult. |
| For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. | 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. |
| Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. | A fool gives free rein to his anger, but a wise man bides his time and calms it. |
| No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. | Rather, I discipline my body and bring it under control, for fear that after preaching to others I myself may be disqualified. |
| Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. | 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. |
| Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. | 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 our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. | 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. |
| Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. | Do not swerve either to the right or to the left; keep your foot far from evil. |
| Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. | 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 my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. | I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look with desire upon a virgin. |
| Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. | 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. |
| It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know 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. |
