James 3
1 Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
Do not be eager, my brethren, for many among you to become teachers; for you know that we teachers shall undergo severer judgement.
2 For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who does not stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.
For we often stumble and fall, all of us. If there is any one who never stumbles in speech, that man has reached maturity of character and is able to curb his whole nature.
3 Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body.
Remember that we put the horses' bit into their mouths to make them obey us, and so we turn their whole bodies round.
4 Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires.
So too with ships, great as they are, and often driven along by strong gales, yet they can be steered with a very small rudder in whichever direction the caprice of the man at the helm chooses.
5 So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest!
In the same way the tongue is an insignificant part of the body, but it is immensely boastful. Remember how a mere spark may set a vast forest in flames.
6 And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna (Geenna g1067).
And the tongue is a fire. That world of iniquity, the tongue, is placed within us spotting and soiling our whole nature, and setting the whole round of our lives on fire, being itself set on fire by Gehenna. (Geenna g1067)
7 For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind;
For brute nature under all its forms--beasts and birds, reptiles and fishes--can be subjected and kept in subjection by human nature.
8 but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
But the tongue no man or woman is able to tame. It is an ever-busy mischief, and is full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God.
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in God's likeness.
10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
Out of the same mouth there proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be.
11 Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water?
In a fountain, are fresh water and bitter sent forth from the same opening?
12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
Can a fig-tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine yield figs? No; and neither can salt water yield sweet.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
Which of you is a wise and well-instructed man? Let him prove it by a right life with conduct guided by a wisely teachable spirit.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and do not lie against the truth.
But if in your hearts you have bitter feelings of envy and rivalry, do not speak boastfully and falsely, in defiance of the truth.
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.
That is not the wisdom which comes down from above: it belongs to earth, to the unspiritual nature, and to evil spirits.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.
For where envy and rivalry are, there also are unrest and every vile deed.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
The wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceful, courteous, not self-willed, full of compassion and kind actions, free from favouritism and from all insincerity.
18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
And peace, for those who strive for peace, is the seed of which the harvest is righteousness.
