James 3  21st Century King James Version

3 My brethren, let not many be masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

² For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body.

³ Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body.

⁴ Behold also the ships, which though they be so great and are driven by fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the helmsman pleases.

⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a wood a little fire kindleth!

⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire from hell.

⁷ For every kind of beast and bird and serpent and thing in the sea is tamed, and hath been tamed, by mankind.

⁸ But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹ Therewith we bless God, even the Father, and therewith we curse men, who are made in the similitude of God.

¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

¹¹ Doth a fountain send forth from the same place sweet water and bitter?

¹² Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, or a vine figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

¹³ Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show his works out of good conduct and with the meekness of wisdom.

¹⁴ But if ye have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

¹⁵ Such wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

¹⁶ For where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of those who make peace.