1 “Now listen,” he said, “to how anger works, how evil it is, how it ruins the servants of God by its own actions, and how it leads them away from righteousness. But it does not mislead those who are complete in the faith, nor can it act on them, because the power of the Lord is with them; but it misleads those who are empty and double-minded.⁠a 2 For when it sees such people in prosperity, it sneaks into the person’s heart, and for no reason at all the man or the woman is embittered about worldly affairs—maybe about food, or some small matter, or about some friend, or about giving or receiving, or about trivial things like that. For all these things are foolish and pointless and senseless and not useful for the servants of God. 3 But patience is great and strong, and has steady and vigorous power, and thrives in a spacious place, happy, joyful, free from worry, glorifying the Lord at every moment, having no bitterness in it, staying always gentle and calm. This patience lives with those whose faith is perfect. 4 But anger is, first of all, foolish, fickle, and senseless; from foolishness comes bitterness, from bitterness comes fury, from fury comes rage, from rage comes spite; then spite, made up of all these evil elements, becomes a great and incurable sin. 5 For when all these spirits dwell in one vessel, where the Holy Spirit also dwells, that vessel cannot contain them, but overflows. 6 So the gentle Spirit, since He is not used to living with an evil spirit or with harshness, leaves such a person, and seeks to live with gentleness and peace. 7 Then, when He has left the one in whom He lived, that person is emptied of the righteous Spirit, and from then on, filled with evil spirits, becomes unstable in all actions, dragged back and forth by the evil spirits, and is blinded and robbed of good intention. That is how it happens to all who are angry. 8 So stay away from anger—this most evil of evil spirits. But clothe yourself in patience, and stand against anger and bitterness, and you will be found in fellowship with the holiness that the Lord loves. Be sure never to neglect this commandment; for if you master this commandment, you will also be able to keep the other commandments I am about to give you. Stand firm in them and be empowered; and may all be empowered who wish to walk in them.”