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
New King James Version
The Untamable Tongue
3 My brethren, (A)let not many of you become teachers, (B)knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For (C)we all stumble in many things. (D)If anyone does not stumble in word, (E)he is a [a]perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 [b]Indeed, (F)we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so (G)the tongue is a little member and (H)boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And (I)the tongue is a fire, a world of [c]iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it (J)defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of [d]nature; and it is set on fire by [e]hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, (K)full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made (L)in the [f]similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a (M)fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? [g]Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom
13 (N)Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have (O)bitter envy and [h]self-seeking in your hearts, (P)do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 (Q)This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For (R)where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But (S)the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, (T)without partiality (U)and without hypocrisy. 18 (V)Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Footnotes
- James 3:2 mature
- James 3:3 NU Now if
- James 3:6 unrighteousness
- James 3:6 existence
- James 3:6 Gr. Gehenna
- James 3:9 likeness
- James 3:12 NU Neither can a salty spring produce fresh water.
- James 3:14 selfish ambition
Tiago 3
Almeida Revista e Corrigida 2009
Sobre o tropeço na palavra
3 Meus irmãos, muitos de vós não sejam mestres, sabendo que receberemos mais duro juízo. 2 Porque todos tropeçamos em muitas coisas. Se alguém não tropeça em palavra, o tal varão é perfeito e poderoso para também refrear todo o corpo. 3 Ora, nós pomos freio nas bocas dos cavalos, para que nos obedeçam; e conseguimos dirigir todo o seu corpo. 4 Vede também as naus que, sendo tão grandes e levadas de impetuosos ventos, se viram com um bem pequeno leme para onde quer a vontade daquele que as governa. 5 Assim também a língua é um pequeno membro e gloria-se de grandes coisas. Vede quão grande bosque um pequeno fogo incendeia. 6 A língua também é um fogo; como mundo de iniquidade, a língua está posta entre os nossos membros, e contamina todo o corpo, e inflama o curso da natureza, e é inflamada pelo inferno. 7 Porque toda a natureza, tanto de bestas-feras como de aves, tanto de répteis como de animais do mar, se amansa e foi domada pela natureza humana; 8 mas nenhum homem pode domar a língua. É um mal que não se pode refrear; está cheia de peçonha mortal. 9 Com ela bendizemos a Deus e Pai, e com ela amaldiçoamos os homens, feitos à semelhança de Deus: 10 de uma mesma boca procede bênção e maldição. Meus irmãos, não convém que isto se faça assim. 11 Porventura, deita alguma fonte de um mesmo manancial água doce e água amargosa? 12 Meus irmãos, pode também a figueira produzir azeitonas ou a videira, figos? Assim, tampouco pode uma fonte dar água salgada e doce.
A sabedoria que vem do alto
13 Quem dentre vós é sábio e inteligente? Mostre, pelo seu bom trato, as suas obras em mansidão de sabedoria. 14 Mas, se tendes amarga inveja e sentimento faccioso em vosso coração, não vos glorieis, nem mintais contra a verdade. 15 Essa não é a sabedoria que vem do alto, mas é terrena, animal e diabólica. 16 Porque, onde há inveja e espírito faccioso, aí há perturbação e toda obra perversa. 17 Mas a sabedoria que vem do alto é, primeiramente, pura, depois, pacífica, moderada, tratável, cheia de misericórdia e de bons frutos, sem parcialidade e sem hipocrisia. 18 Ora, o fruto da justiça semeia-se na paz, para os que exercitam a paz.
James 3
1599 Geneva Bible
3 2 To show that a Christian man must govern his tongue with the bridle of faith and charity, 6 he declareth the commodities and mischiefs that ensue thereof: 15 and how much man’s wisdom 17 differeth from heavenly.
1 My [a]brethren, be not many masters, [b]knowing that we [c]shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we [d]sin all. [e]If any man sin not in word, he is a perfect man, and able to bridle all the body.
3 [f]Behold, we put bits into the horses’ mouths, that they should obey us, and we turn about all their 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 rudder, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth of great things: [g]behold, how great a thing a little fire kindleth.
6 And the tongue is fire, yea, a [h]world of wickedness: so is the tongue set among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and [i]setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For the whole nature of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and things of the sea is tamed, and hath been tamed of the nature of man.
8 But the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 [j]Therewith bless we God even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the [k]similitude of God.
10 [l]Out of one mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing: my brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at one place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bring forth olives, either a vine figs? so can no fountain make both salt water and sweet.
13 [m]Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show by good conversation his works in meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, rejoice not, neither be liars against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is sedition, and all manner of evil works.
17 But the wisdom that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of [n]mercy and good fruits, without judging, and without hypocrisy.
18 [o]And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, of them that make peace.
Footnotes
- James 3:1 The sixth part or place: Let no man usurp (as most men ambitiously do) authority to judge and censure others righteously.
- James 3:1 A reason: Because they provoke God’s severity against themselves, which do so curiously and rigorously condemn others, being themselves guilty and faulty.
- James 3:1 Unless we surcease from this masterlike and proud finding fault with others.
- James 3:2 Or, stumble.
- James 3:2 The seventh place, touching the bridling of the tongue, joined with the former, so that it is manifest that there is no man which may not justly be found fault withal, seeing it is a rare virtue to bridle the tongue.
- James 3:3 He showeth by two similitudes the one taken from the bridles of horses, the other from the rudders of ships, how great matters may be brought to pass by the good moderation of the tongue.
- James 3:5 On the contrary part he showeth how great discommodities arise by the intemperance of the tongue, throughout the whole world, to the end that men may so much the more diligently give themselves to moderate it.
- James 3:6 An heap of all mischiefs.
- James 3:6 It is able to set the whole world on fire.
- James 3:9 Amongst other faults of the tongue, the Apostle chiefly reproveth backbiting and speaking evil of our neighbors, even in them especially which otherwise will seem godly and religious.
- James 3:9 He denieth by two reasons, that God can be praised by that man, that useth cursed speaking, or to backbite: first because man is the image of God, which whosoever reverenceth not doth not honor God himself.
- James 3:10 Secondly, because the order of nature which God hath set in things, will not suffer things that are so contrary the one to the other, to stand the one with the other.
- James 3:13 The eighth part which hangeth with the former, touching meekness of mind, against which he setteth envy and a contentious mind. And in the beginning he stoppeth the mouth of the chief fountain of all these mischiefs, to wit, a false persuasion of wisdom, whereas notwithstanding there is no true wisdom, but that is heavenly, and frameth our minds to all kinds of true moderation and simplicity.
- James 3:17 He setteth mercy against the fierce and cruel nature of man, and showeth that heavenly wisdom bringeth forth good fruits, for he that is heavenly wise, referreth all things to God’s glory, and the profit of his neighbor.
- James 3:18 Because the world persuadeth itself that they are miserable which live peaceably and simply, on the contrary side the Apostle pronounceth that they shall at the length reap the harvest of peaceable righteousness.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
