Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls. | Like a city that has been breached and made defenseless is the man devoid of self-control. |
For God has not given us a 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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But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness 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. |
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he 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, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 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. |
So then, 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 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 such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you 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 others do, 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 known at once, But a prudent man covers shame. | A fool is quick to show his anger, but a prudent man ignores an insult. |
A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back. | A fool gives free rein to his anger, but a wise man bides his time and calms it. |
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the 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. |
But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. | Rather, I discipline my body and bring it under control, for fear that after preaching to others I myself may be disqualified. |
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you 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 everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. | 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 do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly 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. |
Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your 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 do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may 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 have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman? | I have made a covenant with my eyes not to look with desire upon a virgin. |
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does 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. |
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles 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. |