James 3
New Catholic Bible
Exhortation To Practice Christian Living
Chapter 3
Avoid Faults of the Tongue.[a] 1 My brethren, not many of you should become teachers, for you know that we will face a more severe judgment. 2 For all of us fall short in many ways. Anyone who never makes a mistake in speech has reached perfection[b] and is able to control every part of his body.
3 When we put a bit into a horse’s mouth to make it obey us, we also guide its entire body. 4 Or think of ships. Even though they are large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder on whatever course the helmsman chooses. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small member but its pretensions are great.
Consider how a small fire can set ablaze a great forest. 6 And the tongue is also a fire, a world of evil that infects the entire body. It sets afire the entire course of our existence and is itself set on fire by Gehenna.
7 For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by man, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.[c]
10 Out of the same mouth flow blessings and curses. This should not be so, my brethren. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives or can a grapevine produce figs? Neither can salt water yield fresh water.
13 True Wisdom and Its Opposite.[d] Who among you is wise and understanding? Prove by your good life that your works are done with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if your hearts are filled with bitter envy and selfish ambition, do not be boastful in defiance of the truth.
15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disharmony and every type of wickedness.
17 However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, and considerate, full of mercy and good fruits, without any trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who are peacemakers.
Footnotes
- James 3:1 What is more beautiful and what more ugly than the tongue? All the wisdoms of the world repeat it, and the sages of the Old Testament more than once issued denunciations against inconsiderate words (see Prov 10:9; 13:3; 15:1-4; 18:21; 21:23; Sir 5:11—6:1). Christ had spoken of the evil that comes forth from the mouth of man (see Mk 7:21-23). There is a kind of passionate outburst of words that disfigures society; with a word one can disrupt an assembly, with a lie break a friendship or unleash a rivalry—in short, destroy the world’s harmony. We might say that an infernal power is at work; “Gehenna” was the cursed spot around Jerusalem that became a symbol for hell. The author is speaking especially to those who have the responsibility to teach in the assemblies. What a perversion it is to announce God’s praise yet do harm to one’s neighbor.
- James 3:2 Perfection: so difficult is the tongue to control that those who are successful gain control of themselves in all other areas of life as well.
- James 3:9 In the likeness of God: human beings are made in the likeness of God (see Gen 1:26f); hence, to curse them is tantamount to cursing God (see Gen 9:6).
- James 3:13 There is a way of life and a concept of relationships that are inspired by a sense of God. There is another that is nothing more than the uncontrolled expression of passions. The Old Testament thus opposed wisdom and folly (see Prov 2:6; 8:22-31; Wis 7:22—8:1; Sir 1:1-4; 24:3-22). Paul distinguished between the fruits of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit (see Gal 5:22-25). The Christian faith is transmitted by mildness, conciliation, goodness, and peace.
James 3
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
3 Be ye not many masters, my brethren, knowing that you receive the greater judgment.
2 For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. He is able also with a bridle to lead about the whole body.
3 For if we put bits into the mouths of horses, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also ships, whereas they are great, and are driven by strong winds, yet are they turned about with a small helm, whithersoever the force of the governor willeth.
5 Even so the tongue is indeed a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how small a fire kindleth a great wood.
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is placed among our members, which defileth the whole body, and inflameth the wheel of our nativity, being set on fire by hell.
7 For every nature of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of the rest, is tamed, and hath been tamed, by the nature of man:
8 But the tongue no man can tame, an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison.
9 By it we bless God and the Father: and by it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth, out of the same hole, sweet and bitter water?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear grapes; or the vine, figs? So neither can the salt water yield sweet.
13 Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew, by a good conversation, his work in the meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter zeal, and there be contentions in your hearts; glory not, and be not liars against the truth.
15 For this is not wisdom, descending from above: but earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and contention is, there is inconstancy, and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom, that is from above, first indeed is chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded, consenting to the good, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without dissimulation.
18 And the fruit of justice is sown in peace, to them that make peace.
James 3
Maori Bible
3 Kei tokomaha koutou ki te whakaako, e oku teina, e matau ana hoki koutou rahi ake te he e tau ki a tatou.
2 He maha hoki nga mea e tapepa ai tatou katoa. Ki te kore tetahi e tapepa i te kupu, he tino tika tena tangata, e taea ano e ia te paraire te tinana katoa.
3 Na, ka panga nei e tatou nga paraire ki nga mangai o nga hoiho, kia rongo ai ratou ki a tatou; a pareparea ana e tatou to ratou tinana katoa.
4 Whakaaroa nga kaipuke, nga mea nunui rawa nei, he mea aki nei e nga hau kaha, heoi e pareparea ana e te urungi nohinohi rawa ki te wahi e hiahia ai te hinengaro o te kaiurungi:
5 Waihoki ko te arero he wahi nohinohi ia, nui atu hoki tona whakapehapeha. Nana, te nui o te wahie e whakaungia ana e te ahi nohinohi!
6 He kapura ano hoki te arero, ko te ao maori o te kino: pera tonu te arero i roto i o tatou wahi, poke iho i a ia te tinana katoa, ngiha ana i a ia huri noa nga mea katoa o te tangata, he mea whakau ano ia na te reinga.
7 Ko nga momo kararehe katoa hoki, ko nga manu, ko nga mea ngokingoki, ko nga mea i te moana, e whakararatatia ana, kua whakararatatia ano hoki i mua e te tangata:
8 Ko te arero ia e kore tena e taea e tetahi tangata te whakarata; he kino ia e kore e taea te pehi, ki tonu i te wai whakamate.
9 Ko ta tatou mea ia hei whakapai i te Atua, i te Matua; ko ta tatou mea ano ia hei kanga i nga tangata, i hanga kia rite ki te Atua.
10 Kotahi tonu te mangai puta ake ana i roto ko te manaaki, ko te kanga. Ehara i te pai, e oku teina, kia penei enei mea.
11 E pupu ake ana ranei i te puna ko te reka, ko te kawa, i roto i te poka kotahi?
12 E hua ranei he oriwa ma te piki, e oku teina, he piki ranei ma te waina? e kore ano hoki e pupu ake i te wai tai he wai reka.
13 Ko wai te tangata whakaaro nui, te tangata matau i roto i a koutou? ma tona whakahaere pai e whakaatu ana mahi, kei runga i te mahaki o te whakaaro nui.
14 Tena ko tenei he hae nanakia to koutou, he totohe i roto i o koutou ngakau, kaua e whakamanamana, kaua hoki e teka ki te pono.
15 Ehara tenei matauranga i te mea e heke iho ana i runga; no te whenua ia, no te ngakau maori, no te rewera.
16 I te wahi hoki e noho ai te hae me te totohe, ko reira ano te noho kino me nga mahi he katoa.
17 Ko te matauranga ia o runga, he mea kinokore i te tuatahi, muri iho he rangimarie, he ngawari, he hohoro ki te whakarongo, ki tonu i te mahi tohu, i nga hua pai, kahore ana whiriwhiringa i te tangata, kahore ona tinihanga.
18 A e ruia ana nga hua o te tika i roto i te rangimarie ma te hunga hohou rongo.
James 3
King James Version
3 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
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