James 3:1-18
3 Not many of YOU should become teachers,+ my brothers, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.+
2 For we all stumble many times.+ If anyone does not stumble in word,+ this one is a perfect man,+ able to bridle also [his] whole body.
3 If we put bridles+ in the mouths of horses for them to obey us,+ we manage also their whole body.
4 Look! Even boats, although they are so big and are driven by hard winds, are steered by a very small rudder+ to where the inclination of the man at the helm wishes.
5 So, too, the tongue is a little member and yet makes great brags.+ Look! How little a fire it takes to set so great a woodland on fire!
6 Well, the tongue is a fire.+ The tongue is constituted a world of unrighteousness among our members, for it spots up all the body+ and sets the wheel of natural life aflame and it is set aflame by Ge·henʹna.*
7 For every species of wild beast as well as bird and creeping thing and sea creature is to be tamed and has been tamed by humankind.+
8 But the tongue, not one of mankind can get it tamed. An unruly injurious thing, it is full of death-dealing poison.+
9 With it we bless Jehovah,*+ even [the] Father,+ and yet with it we curse+ men who have come into existence “in the likeness of God.”+
10 Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing.
It is not proper, my brothers, for these things to go on occurring this way.+
11 A fountain+ does not cause the sweet and the bitter to bubble out of the same opening, does it?
12 My brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives or a vine figs, can it?+ Neither can salt water produce sweet water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among YOU? Let him show out of his fine conduct his works+ with a mildness that belongs to wisdom.
14 But if YOU have bitter jealousy+ and contentiousness+ in YOUR hearts, do not be bragging*+ and lying against the truth.+
15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above,+ but is [the] earthly,+ animal,* demonic.+
16 For where jealousy+ and contentiousness are, there disorder* and every vile thing are.+
17 But the wisdom+ from above is first of all chaste,+ then peaceable,+ reasonable,*+ ready to obey, full of mercy and good fruits,+ not making partial distinctions,+ not hypocritical.+
18 Moreover, the fruit+ of righteousness+ has its seed sown under peaceful+ conditions* for* those who are making peace.+
Footnotes
^ See App 4C.
^ “Jehovah,” J18,23; אABC(Gr.), ton Kyʹri·on; VgcSyh, “God.” See App 1D.
^ Lit., “not be you boasting down.”
^ Lit., “soulical.” Gr., psy·khi·keʹ; Lat., a·ni·maʹlis. See 1Co 2:14 and 1Co 15:44 ftns.
^ Lit., “unsettled state.”
^ Lit., “yielding.”
^ Or, “sown with peace.”
^ Or, “by.”
