James 3:5-12
New American Standard Bible
5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it (A)boasts of great things.
(B)See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And (C)the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among [a]our body’s parts as that which (D)defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our [b]life, and is set on fire by [c](E)hell. 7 For every [d]species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human [e]race. 8 But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of (F)deadly poison. 9 With it we bless (G)our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, (H)who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring send out from the same opening both [f]fresh and bitter water? 12 (I)Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce [g]fresh.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- James 3:6 Lit our parts
- James 3:6 Or existence, origin
- James 3:6 Gr Gehenna
- James 3:7 Lit nature
- James 3:7 Lit nature
- James 3:11 Lit sweet
- James 3:12 Lit sweet
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.