James 3
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Control Your Tongue And You Will Control Your Life
3 Do not become[a] many[b] teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a greater judgment. 2 For we all stumble many[c] ways. If one does not stumble in speech, this one is a perfect man able to bridle[d] also the whole body. 3 Now if we put bridles into the mouths of horses so-that they obey us, we also guide their whole body. 4 Behold also ships being so large and being driven by hard winds— they are guided by a very small rudder where the impulse of the one steering wants. 5 So also the tongue is a small body-part, and boastfully-declares great things. Behold how-small a fire kindles how-great a forest!
An Untamed Tongue Stains And Burns And Poisons Life
6 And the tongue is a fire! The[e] tongue is made[f] the world of [g] unrighteousness among our body-parts— the thing staining the whole body and setting-on-fire the course of our existence, and being set-on-fire by Gehenna[h]. 7 For every nature[i] of both wild-animals and birds, of both reptiles and sea-creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by the human nature. 8 But none of mankind is able to tame the tongue— a restless evil, full of death-bringing poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse the people having been made in accordance with the likeness of God; 10 a blessing and a curse come out of the same mouth.
Such Destruction Ought Not To Proceed From Us
My brothers, these things ought[j] not to be so. 11 The spring does not gush out of the same opening the sweet and the bitter, does it? 12 A fig tree is not able, my brothers, to make olives, or a grapevine figs, is it? Neither is salty water able to make sweet water.
Your Speech And Conduct And The Fruit They Produce Reveal The Source of Your Wisdom
13 Who[k] is wise and knowledgeable among you? Let him show from his good conduct his works done in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish-interest[l] in your heart, do not be vaunting[m] and lying against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not coming down[n] from-above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish-interest are, in-that-place there is disorder[o] and every bad thing[p]. 17 But the wisdom from-above is first pure, then peaceful, kind, yielding[q], full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, sincere. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by the ones making peace.
Footnotes
- James 3:1 Or, be.
- James 3:1 That is, a multitude of teachers. Or, Do not many of you become teachers.
- James 3:2 Or, many times, greatly.
- James 3:2 Or, restrain, control, hold in check.
- James 3:6 Or, fire, the world of unrighteousness! The tongue is set among our body-parts as the thing.
- James 3:6 Or, is set, is constituted. Or, makes-itself, renders-itself.
- James 3:6 Or, characterized by, belonging to, used by, ruled by.
- James 3:6 Or, Hell.
- James 3:7 That is, natural disposition. Or, species, both times in this verse.
- James 3:10 Or, must not. It is true for mankind in general, but not for doers of the word (1:26). A tree is known by its fruit.
- James 3:13 Do you claim to have wisdom and knowledge? What does your fruit say about you?
- James 3:14 Or, selfish-ambition, party-spirit.
- James 3:14 That is, in claiming to be wise.
- James 3:15 The source of the wisdom in your heart will be known by the actions it produces in you and in your listeners.
- James 3:16 Or, instability, confusion, disturbance.
- James 3:16 Or, evil matter, deed, work.
- James 3:17 Or, compliant, ready to obey, reasonable.
James 3
Living Bible
3 1-2 Dear brothers, don’t be too eager to tell others their faults,[a] for we all make many mistakes; and when we teachers of religion, who should know better, do wrong, our punishment will be greater than it would be for others.
If anyone can control his tongue, it proves that he has perfect control over himself in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in his mouth. 4 And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong.
5 So also the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A great forest can be set on fire by one tiny spark. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness, and poisons every part of the body. And the tongue is set on fire by hell itself and can turn our whole lives into a blazing flame of destruction and disaster.
7 Men have trained, or can train, every kind of animal or bird that lives and every kind of reptile and fish, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is always ready to pour out its deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our heavenly Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against men who are made like God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Dear brothers, surely this is not right! 11 Does a spring of water bubble out first with fresh water and then with bitter water? 12 Can you pick olives from a fig tree, or figs from a grape vine? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty pool.
13 If you are wise, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don’t brag about them, then you will be truly wise! 14 And by all means don’t brag about being wise and good if you are bitter and jealous and selfish; that is the worst sort of lie. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, inspired by the devil. 16 For wherever there is jealousy or selfish ambition, there will be disorder and every other kind of evil.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.
Footnotes
- James 3:1 don’t be too eager to tell others their faults, literally, “not many [of you] should become masters [teachers].”
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.