^37 (A)But let ^[a]your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

²⁶ If anyone ^[a]among you thinks he is religious, and ^(A)does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

² For ^(A)we all stumble in many things. ^(B)If anyone does not stumble in word, ^(C)he is a ^[a]perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

⁵ Even so ^(A)the tongue is a little member and ^(B)boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And ^(C)the tongue is a fire, a world of ^[a]iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it ^(D)defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of ^[b]nature; and it is set on fire by ^[c]hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, ^(E)full of deadly poison.