James 3
3
The Tongue
1#Mt 23:13; Ro 2:20–21My brothers, not many of you should become teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater judgment. 2#Mt 12:37; Jas 1:26We all err in many ways. But if any man does not err in word, he is a perfect man and able also to control the whole body.
3#Ps 32:9See how we put bits in the mouths of horses that they may obey us, and we control their whole bodies. 4And observe ships. Though they are so great and are driven by fierce winds, yet they are directed with a very small rudder wherever the captain pleases. 5#Ps 73:8–9Even so, the tongue is a little part of the body and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles. 6#Pr 16:27The tongue is a fire, a world of evil. The tongue is among the parts of the body, defiling the whole body, and setting the course of nature on fire, and it is set on fire by hell.
7All kinds of beasts, and birds, and serpents, and things in the sea are tamed or have been tamed by mankind. 8#Ps 140:3; Ro 3:13But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9#1Co 11:7; Ge 1:26–27With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God. 10Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring yield at the same opening sweet and bitter water? 12Can the fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a vine, figs? So no spring can yield both salt water and fresh water.
The Wisdom From Above
13#Jas 2:18; 1:21Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show his works by his good life in the meekness of wisdom. 14#Jas 3:16; 2Co 12:20But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, do not boast and do not lie against the truth. 15#Jas 1:17; Jude 1:19This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, and devilish. 16#1Co 3:3; Jas 3:14For where there is envying and strife, there is confusion and every evil work.
17#Ro 12:9; Jas 2:4But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18#Pr 11:18; Mt 5:9And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
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Military Bible Association
James 3
3
Speak Wisely
1Brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers. You know that we who teach will be judged more severely.
2All of us make a lot of mistakes. If someone doesn’t make any mistakes when he speaks, he would be perfect. He would be able to control everything he does. 3We put bits in the mouths of horses to make them obey us, and we have control over everything they do. 4The same thing is true for ships. They are very big and are driven by strong winds. Yet, by using small rudders, pilots steer ships wherever they want them to go. 5In the same way the tongue is a small part of the body, but it can brag about doing important things.
A large forest can be set on fire by a little flame. 6The tongue is that kind of flame. It is a world of evil among the parts of our bodies, and it completely contaminates our bodies. The tongue sets our lives on fire, and is itself set on fire from hell. 7People have tamed all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures. 8Yet, no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil filled with deadly poison.
9With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. Yet, with the same tongues we curse people, who were created in God’s likeness. 10Praise and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen! 11Do clean and polluted water flow out of the same spring? 12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? In the same way, a pool of salt water can’t produce fresh water.
Live Wisely
13Do any of you have wisdom and insight? Show this by living the right way with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you are bitterly jealous and filled with self-centered ambition, don’t brag. Don’t say that you are wise when it isn’t true. 15That kind of wisdom doesn’t come from above. It belongs to this world. It is self-centered and demonic. 16Wherever there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and every kind of evil.
17However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere. 18A harvest that has God’s approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers.
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