James 3
1 Not, many teachers, become ye, my brethren, knowing that, a severer sentence, shall ye receive;
My fellow believers, not many of you should [desire to] become teachers [of God’s truth, because] you know [that God] will judge us [(exc)], who teach others, more severely [than he will judge other people].
2 For, oft, are we stumbling, one and all: If anyone, in word, doth not stumble, the same, is a mature man, able to curb even the whole body.
It is true that we all in many ways do things that are wrong [MET]. But those who always [LIT] control what they say will be all that God intends/wants them to be. They will be able to control all their actions [MTY].
3 Now, if, the horses bits, into their mouths, we thrust, to the end they may be yielding to us, their whole body also, do we turn about.
[To illustrate], if we put [a small metal] bit into the mouth of a horse in order to cause the horse to obey us, we can cause the horse to turn [and go where we want it to] [MET].
4 Lo! the ships also, large as they are, and, by rough winds, driven along, are turned about by a very small helm, whithersoever the impulse of the steersman inclineth.
Think also about ships. [Although] a ship may be very large and [although] it can be moved by strong winds {strong winds can move it}, by [turning] a very small (rudder/steering paddle) people can direct the ship wherever they want [it to go].
5 So, also, the tongue, is, a little member, and yet, of great things, maketh boast. Lo! how small a fire, kindleth, how great a forest;
Similarly, [although] our tongues are very small, [if we do not control them], we can [harm] many people by what we proudly say [MTY]. Think [also] about how [just] a small [flame of] fire can cause a large forest (OR, a large area of brushwood) to burn.
6 And, the tongue, is a fire, —[as], the world of unrighteousness, the tongue, becometh fixed among our members, that which defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the wheel of our natural life, and is set on fire, by gehenna! (Geenna g1067)
[Just like a fire damages a forest] [MET], when we say things that are evil, [we harm many people]. What we say [MTY] reveals that we are very evil. What we say contaminates/defiles everything that we think and do [PRS, MET]. [Just like a flame of fire easily] causes [the whole surrounding area] [MET] to burn, what we say [MTY] can cause [others] to want to do evil. It is the devil himself [MTY] who causes us to say evil things. (Geenna g1067)
7 For, every nature—both of wild beasts and of birds, both of reptiles and of things in the sea, is to be tamed, and hath been tamed, by the human nature;
Indeed, although people are able to tame/control all kinds of wild animals, birds, reptiles and creatures that live in the water, and people have actually tamed/controlled them,
8 But, the tongue, none of mankind can, tame, —A restless mischief! Full of deadly poison
no person ([on his own/by himself]) is able to control what he says [MTY]. And when people say evil things, [it shows that] they are unstable/uncontrolled and wicked [MTY]. [As] the poison [of a snake kills people] [MTY], [we harm others] [MET] by what we say.
9 Therewith, are we blessing our Lord and Father, and, therewith, we are cursing the men who, after the likeness of God, have been brought into being!
We use our tongue to praise God, who is our Lord and Father, but we also use our same tongue to ask God to say evil things to people. [That is very wrong]! God made people like himself, [so we should speak as respectfully to others as we speak to God].
10 Out of the same mouth, come forth blessing and cursing! Not meet, my brethren, for, these things, thus, to be coming to pass!
We praise [God], but with our same mouth we also ask for evil [things to happen to others]. My fellow believers, this should not be!
11 Doth, the fountain, out of the same opening, teem forth the sweet and the bitter?
Surely bitter water and good water do not come out of the same spring! [RHQ]
12 Is it possible, my brethren, for, a fig-tree, to produce, olives, or, a vine, figs? Neither can, salt, water yield, sweet.
My fellow believers, a fig tree cannot [RHQ] produce olives. Nor can [RHQ] a grapevine produce figs. Neither can a salty spring produce good [water]. [Similarly, we should say only good things, and we should not say evil things] [MET].
13 Who is wise and well-instructed among you? Let him show, out of his comely behaviour, his works, in meekness of wisdom.
If any of you thinks [RHQ] that [you are] wise and know a lot, you should always act in a good way to show people that your good actions are the result of your [being truly] wise. Being wise [helps us to act] gently [toward others].
14 But, if, bitter jealousy, ye have, and rivalry, in your hearts; be not boasting and showing yourselves false against the truth!
But if you are very [MET] jealous/unhappy when you see that someone else is succeeding, and always want to have what you want, regardless of what others want, you should not say [that you are wise, for by boasting like that], you are saying that ([God’s message/what God says about you]) is not true.
15 This wisdom is not one, from above, coming down, but is earthly, born of the soul, demoniacal!
Those who have such [attitudes are] not wise [MTY] in the way that God [wants them to be]. Instead, they are only thinking and acting like ([ungodly people/people who do not please God]). They think and act according to their own [evil] desires. They do what the demons [want them to do] (OR, they think and act as demons [do]).
16 For, where jealousy and rivalry are, there, are anarchy and every ignoble deed.
[Keep in mind that] people who have such attitudes (are unruly/do not submit to authority) and [do] all kinds of evil things.
17 But, the wisdom from above, is—first pure, then peaceable, reasonable, easy to be entreated, fraught with mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy.
But [when people] are wise [PRS] in the way that God [MTY] [wants them to be], they are pure in every way, which God considers to be very important. They also act peaceably towards [others], they (are considerate of/think about the rights and feelings of) others, they are willing to yield to [the wishes of] others, they act compassionately [toward others], and they do all kinds of good things [for others] [MET]. [How they treat others does] not depend on (others’ status/whether others are important or not), and they are sincere [in all they do].
18 And, in harvest of righteousness, with peace, is sown by them that make peace.
Those who [act] peaceably [toward others] cause [others to also] act peaceably, with the result that they all live together [acting toward each other] in a righteous way [MET].
