18 He chose to give us birthe through the word of truth,f that we might be a kind of firstfruitsg of all he created.

Listening and Doing

19 My dear brothers and sisters,h take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speaki and slow to become angry, 20 because human angerj does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid ofk all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,l which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.m 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,n and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.o

26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tonguesp deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look afterq orphans and widowsr in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.s