Truthfulness and wise speech

23 You mustn’t present a false statement. Don’t conspire with a wicked person to give false evidence.[ref] 2 Don’t just follow the crowd into doing what’s wrong, and don’t just say what others say in court if it’s untrue, 3 and don’t automatically favour the poor in court either.[ref]

19 So my dear brothers and sisters, note this: Everyone should be quick to listen but slow to speak, and should be slow to get angry 20 because when people get very angry, it doesn’t lead to the good behaviour that God expects. 21 So discard all moral filth and the evil that’s plentiful, and humbly accept the message that’s implanted in you all and which is capable of saving your souls.

33 “Either make both the tree and its fruit good, or make them both bad, because a tree is known by its fruit.[ref] 34 You brood of snakes![ref] You’re evil inside, so why do you think you can say anything that’s good? After all, your mouths speak out of what’s plentiful in your hearts.[ref] 35 A good person produces good words out of their store of goodness, and an evil person produces evil words out of their store of evil.

36 “But I’m telling you that people will have to give an account on judgement day for every worthless sentence they’ve spoken, 37 because you’ll be either be convicted, or be declared guiltless, by the things that you yourself have said.”

3 My brothers and sisters, not everyone should desire to be a teacher because we know that us teachers will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. If there was someone who never said anything wrong, this person would be perfect and also able to have self-control over their entire body. 3 With a horse, we can put a bridle into its mouth so we can make them do what we want, and so we can direct the whole animal. 4 Similarly, even huge ships that are being driven on by strong winds are controlled by a small rudder and can be steered wherever the captain desires. 5 So too the tongue is only small but can make extensive claims.

Yes, a tiny flame can ignite an entire forest 6 and the tongue is a fire producing a torrent of depravity. It’s a part of our physical body but capable of staining us all over and setting our worlds on fire, because the tongue itself is set on fire from hell. 7 Every kind of wild animal and birds and reptiles and sea creature can be tamed and has been tamed by humankind 8 but no one is able to tame the tongue—it’s an erratically evil body part that’s full of deadly poison. 9 We use it to bless our master and father, yet we use it to curse our fellow humans who are made in God’s image.[ref] 10 Both blessings and curses come out of the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, it shouldn’t be like that. 11 Surely a spring flowing out of a single cavity can’t produce both good-tasting and bitter water. 12 A fig tree can’t produce olives and a grape vine can’t produce figs, my brothers and sisters, just like a salty supply can’t give fresh water.

2 Persevere in prayer, keeping watch and being thankful. 3 Pray together for us as well that God would open a door for us to share the message—to tell about the mystery of the messiah. That’s also why I’m in chains—4 so that I can explain the mystery whenever I have an opportunity to speak.

5 Use wisdom as you all walk towards non-believers, using the time wisely.[ref] 6 Always show grace in your conversations, like a meal that’s seasoned with salt, so you’ll know how to answer each person in their situation.