Now (A)if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their whole body as well. Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it (B)boasts of great things.

(C)See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And (D)the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among [a]our body’s parts as that which (E)defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our [b]life, and is set on fire by [c](F)hell.

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:6 Lit our parts
  2. James 3:6 Or existence, origin
  3. James 3:6 Gr Gehenna

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