talking about others

²⁹Let no evil words proceed from your mouth, but only what is good, toward the edification of faith, so as to bestow grace upon those who listen.

¹Therefore, set aside all malice and all deceitfulness, as well as falseness and envy and every detraction.

¹²Therefore, all things whatsoever that you wish that men would do to you, do so also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

¹Blessed is the man who has not followed the counsel of the impious, and has not remained in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the chair of pestilence. ²But his will is with the law of the Lord, and he will meditate on his law, day and night. ³And he will be like a tree that has been planted beside running waters, which will provide its fruit in its time, and its leaf will not fall away, and all things whatsoever that he does will prosper. ⁴Not so the impious, not so. For they are like the dust that the wind casts along the face of the earth. ⁵Therefore, the impious will not prevail again in judgment, nor sinners in the council of the just. ⁶For the Lord knows the way of the just. And the path of the impious will pass away.

¹⁰For there are, indeed, many who are disobedient, who speak empty words, and who deceive, especially those who are of the circumcision.

¹⁰Now whoever has observed the whole law, yet who offends in one matter, has become guilty of all.

³³Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients: ‘You shall not swear falsely. For you shall repay your oaths to the Lord.’ ³⁴But I say to you, do not swear an oath at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵nor by earth, for it is his footstool, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king. ³⁶Neither shall you swear an oath by your own head, because you are not able to cause one hair to become white or black. ³⁷But let your word ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ For anything beyond that is of evil.

²⁶But if anyone considers himself to be religious, but he does not restrain his tongue, but instead seduces his own heart: such a one’s religion is vanity.

¹³Whoever walks dishonestly reveals secrets. But whoever is of a faithful soul conceals what is confided by a friend.

⁷He arrived as a witness to offer testimony about the Light, so that all would believe through him. ⁸He was not the Light, but he was to offer testimony about the Light. ⁹The true Light, which illuminates every man, was coming into this world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He went to his own, and his own did not accept him.

¹All things have their time, and all things under heaven continue during their interval.

²to speak evil of no one, not to be litigious, but to be reserved, displaying all meekness toward all men.