James 3
1 Do not all be teachers, my brothers, because we teachers will be judged more hardly than others.
Do not let many be teachers, my brothers, having known that we will receive greater judgment,
2 For we all go wrong in a number of things. If a man never makes a slip in his talk, then he is a complete man and able to keep all his body in control.
for we all make many stumbles; if anyone does not stumble in word, this one [is] a perfect man, able to also bridle the whole body;
3 Now if we put bits of iron into horses' mouths so that they may be guided by us, we have complete control of their bodies.
behold, the bits we put into the mouths of the horses for their obeying us, and we direct their whole body;
4 And again ships, though they are so great and are moved by violent winds, are turned by a very small guiding-blade, at the impulse of the man who is using it.
behold, also the ships, being so great, and being driven by fierce winds, are directed by a very small rudder, wherever the impulse of the [one] steering wills,
5 Even so the tongue is a small part of the body, but it takes credit for great things. How much wood may be lighted by a very little fire!
so also the tongue is a little member, and boasts greatly; behold, how much forest a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire; it is the power of evil placed in our bodies, making all the body unclean, putting the wheel of life on fire, and getting its fire from hell. (Geenna g1067)
And the tongue [is] a fire, the world of the unrighteousness, so the tongue is set in our members, which is spotting our whole body, and is setting on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna. (Geenna g1067)
7 For every sort of beast and bird and every living thing on earth and in the sea has been controlled by man and is under his authority;
For every nature, both of beasts and of birds, both of creeping things and things of the sea, is subdued, and has been subdued, by the human nature,
8 But the tongue may not be controlled by man; it is an unresting evil, it is full of the poison of death.
but no one of men is able to subdue the tongue—[it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison;
9 With it we give praise to our Lord and Father; and with it we put a curse on men who are made in God's image.
with it we bless the God and Father, and with it we curse the men made according to [the] likeness of God;
10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not right for these things to be so.
out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing; it does not need, my brothers, these things to so happen;
11 Does the fountain send from the same outlet sweet and bitter water?
does the fountain out of the same opening pour forth the sweet and the bitter?
12 Is a fig-tree able to give us olives, my brothers, or do we get figs from a vine, or sweet water from the salt sea?
Is a fig tree able, my brothers, to make olives? Or a vine figs? Neither is salty [water able] to have made sweet water.
13 Who has wisdom and good sense among you? let him make his works clear by a life of gentle wisdom.
Who [is] wise and intelligent among you? Let him show his works out of good behavior in meekness of wisdom,
14 But if you have bitter envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true.
yet, if you have bitter zeal, and rivalry in your heart, do not glory, nor lie against the truth;
15 This wisdom is not from heaven, but is of the earth and the flesh and the Evil One.
this wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like,
16 For where envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing.
for where zeal and rivalry [are], there is insurrection and every evil matter;
17 But the wisdom which is from heaven is first holy, then gentle, readily giving way in argument, full of peace and mercy and good works, not doubting, not seeming other than it is.
but the wisdom from above, first, indeed, is pure, then peaceable, gentle, well-convinced, full of kindness and good fruits, uncontentious, and unhypocritical—
18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace for those who make peace.
and the fruit of righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.
