Righteousness rescues those who are honest, but those who can't be trusted are trapped by their own greed.

Evil people listen to evil ideas, and liars listen to lies.

Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. He became angry with David and said, "What are you doing here? Who is taking care of those sheep of yours out there in the wilderness? You smart aleck, you! You just came to watch the fighting!"

The first basket contained good figs, those that ripen early; the other one contained bad figs, too bad to eat.

"As for King Zedekiah of Judah, the politicians around him, and the rest of the people of Jerusalem who have stayed in this land or moved to Egypt---I, the LORD, will treat them all like these figs that are too bad to be eaten.

I will bring war, starvation, and disease on them until there is not one of them left in the land that I gave to them and their ancestors."

So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you.

all the while planning evil in their perverted minds, stirring up trouble everywhere.

and prevent you from doing the wrong thing. They will keep you away from people who stir up trouble by what they say---

Never say anything that isn't true. Have nothing to do with lies and misleading words.

To honor the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil ways and false words.

The wicked are proud of their evil desires; the greedy curse and reject the LORD.

Their speech is filled with curses, lies, and threats; they are quick to speak hateful, evil words.

Their speech is wicked and full of lies; they no longer do what is wise and good.

You make plans to ruin others; your tongue is like a sharp razor. You are always inventing lies.

You love to hurt people with your words, you liar!

Listen to their insults and threats. Their tongues are like swords in their mouths, yet they think that no one hears them.

They laugh at other people and speak of evil things; they are proud and make plans to oppress others.

They speak evil of God in heaven and give arrogant orders to everyone on earth,

You snakes---how can you say good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

The time will come when some men from your own group will tell lies to lead the believers away after them.

They also learn to waste their time in going around from house to house; but even worse, they learn to be gossips and busybodies, talking of things they should not.

For there are many, especially the converts from Judaism, who rebel and deceive others with their nonsense.

It is necessary to stop their talk, because they are upsetting whole families by teaching what they should not, and all for the shameful purpose of making money.

And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself.