King James Bible
"Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand."
Paul urges believers to display gentleness and reasonableness in all interactions, making their balanced temperament visible to everyone. The Greek word often translated 'moderation' conveys forbearance and gracious restraint, especially when one has the right to be harsh. This phrase provides the motivation for gentle behavior: Christ's imminent return or constant presence demands holy living. It echoes early Christian expectation of Jesus' soon coming while also affirming his immediate availability to help believers maintain this difficult standard of grace.