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Control Your Tongue And You Will Control Your Life

Do not become[a] many[b] teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a greater judgment. For we all stumble many[c] ways. If one does not stumble in speech, this one is a perfect man able to bridle[d] also the whole body. Now if we put bridles into the mouths of horses so-that they obey us, we also guide their whole body. Behold also ships being so large and being driven by hard winds— they are guided by a very small rudder where the impulse of the one steering wants. So also the tongue is a small body-part, and boastfully-declares great things. Behold how-small a fire kindles how-great a forest!

An Untamed Tongue Stains And Burns And Poisons Life

And the tongue is a fire! The[e] tongue is made[f] the world of [g] unrighteousness among our body-parts— the thing staining the whole body and setting-on-fire the course of our existence, and being set-on-fire by Gehenna[h]. For every nature[i] of both wild-animals and birds, of both reptiles and sea-creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by the human nature. But none of mankind is able to tame the tongue— a restless evil, full of death-bringing poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse the people having been made in accordance with the likeness of God; 10 a blessing and a curse come out of the same mouth.

Such Destruction Ought Not To Proceed From Us

My brothers, these things ought[j] not to be so. 11 The spring does not gush out of the same opening the sweet and the bitter, does it? 12 A fig tree is not able, my brothers, to make olives, or a grapevine figs, is it? Neither is salty water able to make sweet water.

Your Speech And Conduct And The Fruit They Produce Reveal The Source of Your Wisdom

13 Who[k] is wise and knowledgeable among you? Let him show from his good conduct his works done in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish-interest[l] in your heart, do not be vaunting[m] and lying against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not coming down[n] from-above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish-interest are, in-that-place there is disorder[o] and every bad thing[p]. 17 But the wisdom from-above is first pure, then peaceful, kind, yielding[q], full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, sincere. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by the ones making peace.

Footnotes

  1. James 3:1 Or, be.
  2. James 3:1 That is, a multitude of teachers. Or, Do not many of you become teachers.
  3. James 3:2 Or, many times, greatly.
  4. James 3:2 Or, restrain, control, hold in check.
  5. James 3:6 Or, fire, the world of unrighteousness! The tongue is set among our body-parts as the thing.
  6. James 3:6 Or, is set, is constituted. Or, makes-itself, renders-itself.
  7. James 3:6 Or, characterized by, belonging to, used by, ruled by.
  8. James 3:6 Or, Hell.
  9. James 3:7 That is, natural disposition. Or, species, both times in this verse.
  10. James 3:10 Or, must not. It is true for mankind in general, but not for doers of the word (1:26). A tree is known by its fruit.
  11. James 3:13 Do you claim to have wisdom and knowledge? What does your fruit say about you?
  12. James 3:14 Or, selfish-ambition, party-spirit.
  13. James 3:14 That is, in claiming to be wise.
  14. James 3:15 The source of the wisdom in your heart will be known by the actions it produces in you and in your listeners.
  15. James 3:16 Or, instability, confusion, disturbance.
  16. James 3:16 Or, evil matter, deed, work.
  17. James 3:17 Or, compliant, ready to obey, reasonable.

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