James 3
3
Taming the tongue
1My brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers, because we know that we teachers will be judged more strictly. 2We all make mistakes often, but those who don’t make mistakes with their words have reached full maturity. Like a bridled horse, they can control themselves entirely. 3When we bridle horses and put bits in their mouths to lead them wherever we want, we can control their whole bodies.
4Consider ships: They are so large that strong winds are needed to drive them. But pilots direct their ships wherever they want with a little rudder. 5In the same way, even though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts wildly.
Think about this: A small flame can set a whole forest on fire. 6The tongue is a small flame of fire, a world of evil at work in us. It contaminates our entire lives. Because of it, the circle of life is set on fire. The tongue itself is set on fire by the flames of hell.
7People can tame and already have tamed every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish. 8No one can tame the tongue, though. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we both bless the Lord and Father and curse human beings made in God’s likeness. 10Blessing and cursing come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, it just shouldn’t be this way!
11Both fresh water and salt water don’t come from the same spring, do they? 12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? Of course not, and fresh water doesn’t flow from a saltwater spring either.
Wisdom from above
13Are any of you wise and understanding? Show that your actions are good with a humble lifestyle that comes from wisdom. 14However, if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, then stop bragging and living in ways that deny the truth. 15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. Instead, it is from the earth, natural and demonic. 16Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and everything that is evil. 17What of the wisdom from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions, fair, and genuine. 18Those who make peace sow the seeds of justice by their peaceful acts.
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James 3: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Jacob (James) 3
3
Dangerous Tongue
1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, since you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.
2For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.
3And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole body as well.
4See also the ships—though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
5So also the tongue is a small member—yet it boasts of great things. See how so small a fire sets a blaze so great a forest!
6And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is a world of evil placed among our body parts. It pollutes the whole body and sets on fire the course of life—and is set on fire by Gehenna.
7For every species of beasts and birds, reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9With it we bless our Adonai and Father, and with it we curse people, who are made in the image of God.
10From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be.
11A spring doesn’t pour out fresh and bitter water from the same opening, does it?
12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Neither can salt water produce fresh water.
Gentle Wisdom from Above
13Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct let him show his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth.
15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil practice.
17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, not hypocritical.
18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in shalom by those who make shalom.
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