James 3:1-10
New King James Version
The Untamable Tongue
3 My brethren, (A)let not many of you become teachers, (B)knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For (C)we all stumble in many things. (D)If anyone does not stumble in word, (E)he is a [a]perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 [b]Indeed, (F)we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so (G)the tongue is a little member and (H)boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And (I)the tongue is a fire, a world of [c]iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it (J)defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of [d]nature; and it is set on fire by [e]hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, (K)full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made (L)in the [f]similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
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Genesis 2:25
New King James Version
25 (A)And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not (B)ashamed.
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Leviticus 19:16
New King James Version
16 You shall not go about as a (A)talebearer among your people; nor shall you (B)take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.
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Proverbs 16:27-28
New King James Version
27 [a]An ungodly man digs up evil,
And it is on his lips like a burning (A)fire.
28 A perverse man sows strife,
And (B)a whisperer separates the best of friends.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 16:27 Lit. A man of Belial
Matthew 12:32-37
New King James Version
32 Anyone who (A)speaks a word against the Son of Man, (B)it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
A Tree Known by Its Fruit(C)
33 “Either make the tree good and (D)its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 (E)Brood[a] of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? (F)For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure [b]of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 12:34 Offspring
- Matthew 12:35 NU, M omit of his heart
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.