Besides, they become idle unconsciously by gadding about from one house to another ??and not merely idle but gossips and busybodies, repeating things they have no right to mention.

Avoid all that profane jargon, for it leads people still further into irreligion,

till they are filled with all manner of wickedness, depravity, lust, and viciousness, filled to the brim with envy, murder, quarrels, intrigues, and malignity ??slanderers,

For I am afraid I may perhaps come and find you are not what I could wish, while you may find I am not what you could wish; I am afraid of finding quarrels, jealousy, temper, rivalry, slanders, gossiping, arrogance, and disorder ??21 afraid that when I come back to you, my God may humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn for many who sinned some time ago and yet have never repented of the impurity, the sexual vice, and the sensuality which they have practised.

Their wives must be serious too; they must not be slanderers but temperate and absolutely trustworthy.

So off with all malice, all guile and insincerity and envy and slander of every kind!

and their doctrine spreads like a gangrene. So it is with Hymenaeus and Philetus;

callous, relentless, scurrilous, dissolute, and savage; they will hate goodness,

But we are informed that some of your number are loafing, busybodies instead of busy.

Tell the older women also to be reverent in their demeanour and not to be slanderers or slaves to drink;

Drop all bitter feeling and passion and anger and clamouring and insults, together with all malice;

There must be parties among you, if genuine Christians are to be recognized.

defamers, loathed by God, outrageous, haughty, boastful, inventive in evil, disobedient to parents,