Font Size
James 3
New Life Version
James 3
New Life Version
The Power of the Tongue
3 My Christian brothers, not many of you should become teachers. If we do wrong, it will be held against us more than other people who are not teachers. 2 We all make many mistakes. If anyone does not make a mistake with his tongue by saying the wrong things, he is a perfect man. It shows he is able to make his body do what he wants it to do. 3 We make a horse go wherever we want it to go by a small bit in its mouth. We turn its whole body by this. 4 Sailing ships are driven by strong winds. But a small rudder turns a large ship whatever way the man at the wheel wants the ship to go.
5 The tongue is also a small part of the body, but it can speak big things. See how a very small fire can set many trees on fire. 6 The tongue is a fire. It is full of wrong. It poisons the whole body. The tongue sets our whole lives on fire with a fire that comes from hell. 7 Men can make all kinds of animals and birds and fish and snakes do what they want them to do. 8 But no man can make his tongue say what he wants it to say. It is sinful and does not rest. It is full of poison that kills. 9 With our tongue we give thanks to our Father in heaven. And with our tongue we speak bad words against men who are made like God. 10 Giving thanks and speaking bad words come from the same mouth. My Christian brothers, this is not right! 11 Does a well of water give good water and bad water from the same place? 12 Can a fig tree give olives or can a grape-vine give figs? A well does not give both good water and bad water.
Wisdom from Above
13 Who among you is wise and understands? Let that one show from a good life by the things he does that he is wise and gentle. 14 If you have jealousy in your heart and fight to have many things, do not be proud of it. Do not lie against the truth. 15 This is not the kind of wisdom that comes from God. But this wisdom comes from the world and from that which is not Christian and from the devil. 16 Wherever you find jealousy and fighting, there will be trouble and every other kind of wrong-doing. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. Then it gives peace. It is gentle and willing to obey. It is full of loving-kindness and of doing good. It has no doubts and does not pretend to be something it is not. 18 Those who plant seeds of peace will gather what is right and good.
James 3
New International Version
James 3
New International Version
Taming the Tongue
3 Not many of you should become teachers,(A) my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged(B) more strictly.(C) 2 We all stumble(D) in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say(E) is perfect,(F) able to keep their whole body in check.(G)
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.(H) 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.(I) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire,(J) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,(K) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.(L)
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.(M)
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.(N) 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?(O) Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it(P) by their good life, by deeds(Q) done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition(R) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.(S) 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven(T) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.(U) 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition,(V) there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven(W) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,(X) considerate, submissive, full of mercy(Y) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.(Z) 18 Peacemakers(AA) who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.(AB)
Jakobsbrevet 3
Svenska Folkbibeln
Jakobsbrevet 3
Svenska Folkbibeln
Den elaka tungan
3 Mina bröder, inte många bör bli lärare. Ni vet ju att vi skall få en strängare dom. 2 Vi begår alla många fel. Om någon inte felar i sitt tal, är han en fullkomlig man som också kan tygla hela sin kropp. 3 När vi lägger betsel i munnen på en häst för att han skall lyda oss, styr vi också hela hans kropp. 4 Se också på fartygen som är så stora och drivs av hårda vindar. Ändå styrs de dit rorsmannen vill med ett mycket litet roder. 5 Så är också tungan en liten lem men kan skryta över stora ting. Tänk på hur en liten eld kan antända en stor skog. 6 En sådan eld är tungan, en värld av ondska bland våra lemmar. Den smutsar ner hela vår kropp och sätter tillvarons hjul i brand och är själv antänd av Gehenna.[a]
7 Alla slags fyrfotadjur, fåglar, kräldjur och vattendjur låter sig tämjas och har blivit tämjda av människan. 8 Men tungan kan ingen människa tämja, ostyrig och ond som den är och full av dödligt gift. 9 Med den välsignar vi Herren och Fadern, och med den förbannar vi människorna, som är skapade till Guds avbild. 10 Från samma mun kommer välsignelse och förbannelse. Så får det inte vara, mina bröder. 11 Inte kan väl en källa från samma åder ge både sött och bittert vatten? 12 Mina bröder, inte kan väl ett fikonträd bära oliver eller en vinstock fikon? Inte heller kan en salt källa ge sött vatten.
Sann och falsk visdom
13 Är någon bland er vis och förståndig, då skall han visa sina gärningar genom ett klokt och vänligt uppträdande. 14 Men bär ni på bitter avund och stridslystnad i ert hjärta, skall ni inte skryta och tala emot sanningen. 15 En sådan vishet kommer inte ovanifrån utan är jordisk, oandlig, ja, demonisk. 16 Ty där avund och stridslystnad råder, där råder också oordning och allt som är ont. 17 Men visheten ovanifrån är först och främst ren, vidare fredlig, mild, foglig, fylld av barmhärtighet och goda frukter, opartisk och uppriktig. 18 Rättfärdighetens frukt sås i frid och ges åt dem som skapar frid.
Footnotes
- Jakobsbrevet 3:6 Gehenna Se not till Matt 5:22.
New Life Version (NLV)
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Svenska Folkbibeln (SFB)
1996, 1998 by Stiftelsen Svenska Folkbibeln