YOUR WORDS
GENESIS 50:21 (ABP)
Joseph spoke kindly to his worried brothers, "Relax, I'll look out for you and your families."
EPHESIANS 4:29 (ABP)
Watch your words. Don't let anything foul or hurtful come out of your mouth. Instead, use your words to extend grace and build others up.
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Ask yourself, "Am I using words to cut others down or build them up?"
PRAYER
Thank you, God, for the gift of speech. I admit that I'm not always kind with my words. Sometimes they just slip out before I can control them. Slow me down so that I'm thinking before speaking. I'm going to allow your Spirit to work in me so that my words convey only your grace. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
