Self-control

He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.

²⁷ It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory.

²⁸ Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.

A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man holds it back.

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger settles in the lap of a fool.

²⁰ Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat.

²¹ For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them in rags.

If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up.

“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.

²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.

²⁶ Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.

²⁷ No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

⁵ Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.

⁶ So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”

⁷ With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.

³ For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality;

⁴ each of you must know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

⁵ not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;

⁶ and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;

⁷ and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

²³ gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

¹⁰ Although Potiphar’s wife spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be near her.

¹¹ One day, however, Joseph went into the house to attend to his work, and not a single household servant was inside.

¹² She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.

But watch yourselves, or your hearts will be weighed down by dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of life—and that day will spring upon you suddenly like a snare.

He dies for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

¹ When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is set before you,

² and put a knife to your throat if you possess a great appetite.

³ Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.

²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has needless wounds? Who has bloodshot eyes?

³⁰ Those who linger over wine, who go to taste mixed drinks.

³¹ Do not gaze at wine while it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.

³² In the end it bites like a snake and stings like a viper.

³³ Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will utter perversities.

I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”

As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”

³⁰ He said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am famished.” (That is why he was also called Edom.)

³¹ “First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied.

³² “Look,” said Esau, “I am about to die, so what good is a birthright to me?”

⁵ Then I set pitchers full of wine and some cups before the men of the house of the Rechabites, and I said to them, “Drink some wine.”

⁶ “We do not drink wine,” they replied, “for our forefather Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us, ‘Neither you nor your descendants are ever to drink wine.

So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering.