James 3
Lexham English Bible
Restraining the Tongue
3 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you[a] know that we will receive a greater judgment.[b] 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual,[c] able to hold in check his whole body also. 3 And if we put bits in the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we also guide their whole bodies. 4 Behold also ships: although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot wishes. 5 So also the tongue is a small member of the body[d] and boasts great things. Behold how small a fire sets ablaze how great a forest! 6 And the tongue is a fire! The world of unrighteousness,[e] the tongue, is set among our members, defiling the whole body and setting on fire the course of human existence[f], being set on fire by hell.
7 For every species of animals and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is being tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no human being is able to tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the[g] Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so! 11 A spring does not pour forth from the same opening fresh and bitter water, does it?[h] 12 A fig tree is not able, my brothers, to produce olives, or a grapevine figs. Neither can a saltwater spring produce fresh water.
The Wisdom That Comes Down from Above
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his[i] good behavior his works, with the humility of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, nonjudgmental, without hypocrisy, 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace among[j] those who make peace.
Footnotes
- James 3:1 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal
- James 3:1 Or “greater condemnation”
- James 3:2 Literally “man,” but clearly in a generic sense here meaning “someone, a person”
- James 3:5 The words “of the body” are not in the Greek text but are supplied for clarity
- James 3:6 Or “a fire, the world of unrighteousness! The tongue is set among our members”
- James 3:6 Literally “the wheel of origin”
- James 3:9 Or possibly “our,” if the Greek article is understood as a possessive pronoun
- James 3:11 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
- James 3:13 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- James 3:18 Or “for”; or possibly “by”
James 3
New Matthew Bible
What good and evil comes through the tongue. The duty of the learned. The difference between the wisdom of the gospel and the wisdom of the world.
3 My brethren, be not every man a counsellor, remembering that we will receive the stricter judgment. 2 For in many things, we all sin.
If a person does not sin in word, he is a perfect man, and able to tame all the body. 3 Behold, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, and we turn about all their body. 4 Behold also the ships, which, though they be so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet are turned about with a very small helm, wherever the helmsman chooses to steer. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, yet boasts great things.
Behold how great a thing a little fire kindles. 6 And the tongue is fire, and a world of wickedness. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets afire all the course of our life, and is itself set afire even by hell.
7 All kinds of beasts, and of birds and of serpents and things of the sea, are meeked and tamed by the powers of man. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. 10 Out of one mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Does a spring send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter also? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, or a vine bear figs? Likewise can no spring give both salt water and fresh also.
13 If any be wise and learned among you, let him show the works of his good living in humility that is coupled with wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, do not be pleased, neither be liars against the truth. 15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, and natural, and devilish. 16 For where envying and strife are, there is instability and all manner of evil works.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated – full of mercy and good fruits, without judging and without dissimulation. 18 Yea and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who maintain peace.
James 3
Tree of Life Version
Dangerous Tongue
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, since you know that we will receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. 3 And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole body as well. 4 See also the ships—though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member—yet it boasts of great things.[a] See how so small a fire sets a blaze so great a forest! 6 And the tongue is a fire.[b] The tongue is a world of evil placed among our body parts. It pollutes the whole body and sets on fire the course of life—and is set on fire by Gehenna.
7 For every species of beasts and birds, reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. [c] 9 With it we bless our Adonai and Father, and with it we curse people, who are made in the image of God. [d] 10 From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be. 11 A spring doesn’t pour out fresh and bitter water from the same opening, does it? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Neither can salt water produce fresh water.
Gentle Wisdom from Above
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct let him show his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, not hypocritical. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in shalom by those who make shalom.[e]
Footnotes
- James 3:5 cf. Ps. 12:3-4; Prov. 26:20-21.
- James 3:6 cf. Prov. 16:27.
- James 3:9 cf. Ps. 140:3.
- James 3:10 cf. Gen. 1:26.
- James 3:18 cf. Hos. 10:12.
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Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.