James 3
3
1My friends, not many of you should become teachers, because you know that we who teach will have a heavier responsibility in the judgment. 2All of us make mistakes in many ways. Anyone who doesn't make mistakes in what they say is truly a good person who can keep the whole body under control. 3We put bridles into the mouths of horses so that they'll obey us, and we can direct them wherever we want. 4Look at ships as well: even though they're very big and are driven along by strong winds, they're steered by a very small rudder in the direction the pilot wants to go.
5In just the same way the tongue is a very small part of the body, but it makes great boasts! Think how a big forest can be set on fire by a very small flame! 6And the tongue is a fire! The tongue is a world of evil among the parts of the body. It disgraces all you are as a person, and can burn down the whole of your life, since it is set on fire by Gehenna.#3:6. Gehenna: the trash dump outside of Jerusalem where fires were used to burn the trash. The word is used symbolically as the endpoint for the wicked. See note on Matthew 5:22. 7People have tamed all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures, 8but no one can tame the tongue—it's an evil thing, hard to control, full of deadly poison. 9We use the same tongue to bless our Lord and Father, as well as to curse people who are made in God's image— 10blessings and curses come from the same mouth! Friends, it shouldn't be this way! 11Does a spring send both sweet and bitter water out of the same opening? 12My friends, a fig tree can't produce olives, and a vine can't produce figs, any more than a salt water spring can produce fresh water!
13Who among you has wisdom and understanding? Let their good lives demonstrate what they do—doing what is right with wise kindness and consideration.
14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast about it and don't lie against the truth. 15This kind of “wisdom” doesn't come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition you'll also find confusion and all kinds of evil practices.
17However, wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, and it also brings peace. It is kind and open to reason. It is full of mercy and produces good things. It is genuine and not hypocritical. 18Those who sow peace will harvest the peace of what is truly good and right.
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James 3: FBV
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
James 3
3
The Tongue
1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9#Gen 1.26. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
The Wisdom from Above
13Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.