Verse 14

Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; so stop the dispute before it breaks out.

Other Translations

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 20:3 : 3 It is honorable for a person to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
  • Prov 25:8 : 8 Do not go hastily to court, lest you do something in the end that leaves you humiliated when your neighbor puts you to shame.
  • 1 Thess 4:11 : 11 And to make it your ambition to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,
  • Jas 3:14-18 : 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and deny the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
  • 2 Tim 2:23-24 : 23 But avoid foolish and ignorant controversies, because you know they breed quarrels. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient when wronged.
  • Prov 26:21 : 21 Charcoal for embers and wood for fire, and a contentious person for kindling strife.
  • Prov 29:22 : 22 An angry man stirs up strife, and a hot-tempered man commits many transgressions.
  • Eccl 7:8-9 : 8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. 9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
  • Matt 5:39-41 : 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.
  • Acts 6:1-5 : 1 During these days, as the disciples were increasing in number, there was a complaint by the Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrew-speaking Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve summoned all the disciples together and said, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.' 3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this responsibility. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a convert from Antioch.
  • Acts 15:2-9 : 2 So after much dissension and debate with Paul and Barnabas, the brothers decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some others should go up to Jerusalem to consult the apostles and elders about this question. 3 Having been sent on their way by the church, they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, along with the apostles and elders, and they reported all that God had done through them. 5 But some believers from the sect of the Pharisees stood up and declared, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses." 6 The apostles and the elders gathered together to consider this matter. 7 After much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that in the early days God chose me among you so that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why are you testing God by placing a yoke on the necks of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are. 12 The whole assembly became silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they narrated all the signs and wonders that God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 After they had finished speaking, James responded, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has explained how God first intervened to take from the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written: 16 'After these things I will return and rebuild the fallen tent of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, 17 so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, including all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord, who does these things' 18 '—things known long ago.' 19 Therefore, my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, sexual immorality, meat that has been strangled, and blood. 21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every city from ancient generations, being read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.
  • Rom 12:18 : 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
  • Gen 13:8-9 : 8 So Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no conflict between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kin. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left."
  • Judg 8:1-3 : 1 The men of Ephraim said to Gideon, 'What is this thing you have done to us by not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?' And they argued with him forcefully. 2 But Gideon replied to them, 'What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren’t the gleanings of Ephraim’s harvest better than the full harvest of Abiezer?' 3 God gave the leaders of Midian—Oreb and Zeeb—into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?' At this, their anger toward him subsided when he said this.
  • Judg 12:1-6 : 1 The men of Ephraim were called together, crossed northward, and said to Jephthah, "Why did you go to fight against the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down on top of you in fire!" 2 Jephthah replied to them, "I and my people were in a serious struggle with the Ammonites. I called for your help, but you did not save me from their hands. 3 "When I saw that you would not help, I risked my own life and crossed over to fight against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my hand. Why have you come to fight against me today?" 4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim because they had said, "You Gileadites are deserters from Ephraim and Manasseh." 5 The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan opposite Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to cross over, they would say, "Let me cross over." The men of Gilead would respond, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No," 6 they would say, "Say 'Shibboleth.'" And if he said 'Sibboleth,' because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, forty-two thousand from Ephraim were killed.
  • 2 Sam 2:14-17 : 14 Then Abner said to Joab, 'Let the young men come forward and compete before us.' And Joab said, 'Let them come forward.' 15 So they stood up and were counted—twelve from Benjamin and from the followers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16 Each man seized his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they fell together. So the place was called the Field of Flints, which is in Gibeon. 17 The battle that day was fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
  • 2 Sam 19:41-20:22 : 41 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the people of Judah and half the people of Israel escorted the king. 42 Soon, all the men of Israel came to the king and asked, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal you away and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, along with all your men?" 43 The men of Judah responded to the men of Israel, "The king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten any of the king’s provisions, or have we taken anything for ourselves?" 44 Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, "We have ten shares in the king, and in David too we have more claim than you. So why did you treat us with contempt? Were we not the first to speak of bringing the king back?" But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel. 1 Now a troublemaker named Sheba, son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He blew the trumpet and declared, "We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse's son. Every man to his tent, Israel!" 2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba, son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed loyal to their king, from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem. 3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the house and placed them in confinement, providing for them but no longer going to them. They remained confined like widows until the day of their death. 4 Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and you must be here as well." 5 But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him. 6 So David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba, son of Bichri, will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord's servants and pursue him quickly, or he may find fortified cities and escape from us." 7 Joab's men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty warriors, marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the large stone in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it, at his waist, was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it fell out. 9 Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach. His intestines spilled to the ground, and he died without Joab striking him again. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 One of Joab's men stood by Amasa and said, "Whoever is loyal to Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!" 12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that all the troops stopped, he dragged Amasa from the road into a field and threw a garment over him because everyone who came by stopped. 13 After he was removed from the road, everyone continued on after Joab to pursue Sheba, son of Bichri. 14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maacah, and all the Berites assembled and followed him. 15 Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maacah. They built a siege ramp against the city and stood against the outer rampart. As they worked to breach the wall, 16 a wise woman called out from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him." 17 When he approached her, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he replied. She said, "Listen to what your servant has to say." "I’m listening," he said. 18 She continued, "In the past, people said, 'Seek advice in Abel,' and that is how matters were settled. 19 I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to devour the LORD's inheritance?" 20 Joab replied, "Far be it from me to devour or destroy the city! 21 That is not the case. A man named Sheba, son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has raised his hand against King David. Hand him over, and I will withdraw from the city." The woman said to Joab, "His head will be thrown to you from the wall." 22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. He blew the horn, and the troops dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
  • 2 Chr 10:14-16 : 14 he followed the advice of the young men and said, "My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father disciplined you with whips; I will discipline you with scorpions." 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. 16 When all Israel realized that the king had not listened to them, they responded to the king, saying, "What share do we have in David? What inheritance is there for us in the son of Jesse? Every man to your tents, Israel! Now take care of your own house, David!" So all the Israelites returned to their homes.
  • 2 Chr 13:17 : 17 Abijah and his army inflicted a severe defeat on them, and five hundred thousand of Israel’s chosen men were killed.
  • 2 Chr 25:17-24 : 17 After taking counsel, Amaziah king of Judah sent word to Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, challenging him to meet face to face. 18 But Joash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: 'A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, "Give your daughter to my son in marriage." Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle.' 19 You say to yourself that you have defeated Edom, and now you are arrogant and proud. But stay at home! Why provoke disaster so that you and Judah will fall? 20 But Amaziah would not listen, for this was from God, so that he might deliver them into the hands of their enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went up and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. 22 Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his own home. 23 Joash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh. Then he brought him to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, a section four hundred cubits long. 24 He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of God that had been in the care of Obed-Edom, together with the treasures of the royal palace and the hostages, and then he returned to Samaria.
  • 2 Chr 28:6 : 6 Pekah son of Remaliah killed 120,000 warriors in Judah in one day because they had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
  • Prov 13:10 : 10 Where there is pride, there is strife, but wisdom is found in those who take counsel.
  • Prov 14:29 : 29 Whoever is patient shows great understanding, but a quick-tempered person promotes folly.
  • Prov 15:1 : 1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
  • Prov 16:32 : 32 Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.
  • Prov 17:19 : 19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
  • Prov 19:11 : 11 A person’s wisdom makes them slow to anger, and it is their glory to overlook an offense.