James 3
1 Do not all be teachers, my brothers, because we teachers will be judged more hardly than others.
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 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 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 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.
Remember that we put the horses' bit into their mouths to make them obey us, and so we turn their whole bodies round.
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.
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 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!
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; 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. 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 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 brute nature under all its forms--beasts and birds, reptiles and fishes--can be subjected and kept in subjection by 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 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 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 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, it is not right for these things to be so.
Out of the same mouth there proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be.
11 Does the fountain send from the same outlet sweet and bitter water?
In a fountain, are fresh water and bitter sent forth from the same opening?
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?
Can a fig-tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine yield figs? No; and neither can salt water yield sweet.
13 Who has wisdom and good sense among you? let him make his works clear by a life of gentle 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 envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true.
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 from heaven, but is of the earth and the flesh and the Evil One.
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 envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing.
For where envy and rivalry are, there also are unrest and every vile deed.
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.
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 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace for those who make peace.
And peace, for those who strive for peace, is the seed of which the harvest is righteousness.
