James 3:3-13

World English Bible

³ Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body. ⁴ Behold,^[a] the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires. ⁵ So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.^{[b] 7} For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; ⁸ but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.