James 3
3
Controlling the Things We Say
1My brothers, not many of you should become teachers. You know that we who teach will be judged more strictly than others. 2We all make many mistakes. If there were a person who never said anything wrong, he would be perfect. He would be able to control his whole body, too. 3We put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us. We can control their whole bodies. 4It is the same with ships. A ship is very big, and it is pushed by strong winds. But a very small rudder controls that big ship. The man who controls the rudder decides where the ship will go. The ship goes where the man wants. 5It is the same with the tongue. It is a small part of the body, but it brags about doing great things.
A big forest fire can be started with only a little flame. 6And the tongue is like a fire. It is a whole world of evil among the parts of our bodies. The tongue spreads its evil through the whole body. It starts a fire that influences all of life. The tongue gets this fire from hell. 7People can tame every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and fish, and they have tamed them. 8But no one can tame the tongue. It is wild and evil. It is full of poison that can kill. 9We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people. And God made them like himself. 10Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers, this should not happen. 11Do good and bad water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree make olives? Can a grapevine make figs? No! And a well full of salty water cannot give good water.
True Wisdom
13Is there anyone among you who is truly wise and understanding? Then he should show his wisdom by living right. He should do good things without being proud. A wise person does not brag. 14But if you are selfish and have bitter jealousy in your hearts, you have no reason to brag. Your bragging is a lie that hides the truth. 15That kind of “wisdom” does not come from God. That “wisdom” comes from the world. It is not spiritual. It is from the devil. 16Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there will be confusion and every kind of evil. 17But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. Then it is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled and to do good for others. This wisdom is always fair and honest. 18When people work for peace in a peaceful way, they receive the good result of their right living.
Currently Selected:
James 3: ICB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.