Translations Can Help

There are many passages of Scripture that can help us identify good "boxes" (thoughts) and bad "boxes" (thoughts) that come into our minds.  It's difficult, however, to identify the box as being good or bad when you don't even understand what the word means.  This is when a different translation of the Bible can help.  Sometimes looking at the same passage in multiple translations can help make sense of the original language.  Let's look at the example from a few posts ago.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  (Galatians 5:19-21 KJV)
Now, maybe you are familiar with terms like “lasciviousness”, “emulations”, and “revellings”, but I would find myself reaching for a dictionary to try to understand each of them.  I know from the comparison/contrast language that this is a list of “bad boxes” so I want to avoid them.  I just don’t know what it is I am trying to avoid.  So, I begin by turning to additional translations.  I looked up the terms in the New American Standard Bible (NASB), New International Version (NIV), and the New Living Translation (NLT).  Here’s what I found.
 

KJV	NASB	NIV	NLT
Adultery
fornication	immorality	sexual immorality	sexual immorality
uncleanness	impurity	impurity	impurity
lasciviousness	sensuality	debauchery	lustful pleasures
Idolatry	idolatry	idolatry	idolatry
witchcraft	sorcery	witchcraft	sorcery
hatred	enmities	hatred	hostility
variance	strife	discord	quarreling
emulations	jealousy	jealousy	jealousy
wrath	outbursts of anger	fits of rage	outbursts of anger
strife	disputes	selfish ambition	selfish ambition
seditions	dissensions	dissensions	dissension
heresies	factions	factions	division
Envyings	envying	envy	envy
murders
drunkenness	drunkenness	drunkenness	drunkenness
revellings	carousing	orgies	wild parties

Suddenly, the terms I was going to look up became more clear.  I understand immediately what “lustful pleasures”, “jealousy”, and “wild parties/orgies” are.  Now I know what to avoid.

Now you give it a try.  Here is the “good box” list from the King James Version.  These are things we want to hold on to in order to keep our consciences clear.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV)

Look up the terms in other translations.  Use a dictionary if you like.  Make sure you understand these terms.  Then, when a “box” comes into your mind that matches this list, “hold on to the good.”