James 3:8-4:3

English Standard Version

⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, ^(A)full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people ^(B)who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,^[a] these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Wisdom from Above

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? ^(C)By his good conduct let him show his works ^(D)in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter ^(E)jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. ¹⁵ This is not ^(F)the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, ^(G)demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. ¹⁷ But ^(H)the wisdom from above is first pure, then ^(I)peaceable, gentle, open to reason, ^(J)full of mercy and good fruits, ^(K)impartial and ^(L)sincere. ¹⁸ And ^(M)a harvest of righteousness ^(N)is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Warning Against Worldliness

4 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions^[b] are ^(O)at war within you?^{[c] 2} You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask ^(P)wrongly, to spend it on your passions.