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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)
James 3
New King James Version
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
James 3
New Catholic Bible
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
English Standard Version
James 3
English Standard Version
Taming the Tongue
3 (A)Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For (B)we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, (C)he is a perfect man, (D)able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put (E)bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet (F)it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And (G)the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, (H)staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,[a] and set on fire by hell.[b] 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, (I)full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people (J)who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,[c] these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Wisdom from Above
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? (K)By his good conduct let him show his works (L)in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter (M)jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not (N)the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, (O)demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But (P)the wisdom from above is first pure, then (Q)peaceable, gentle, open to reason, (R)full of mercy and good fruits, (S)impartial and (T)sincere. 18 And (U)a harvest of righteousness (V)is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Footnotes
- James 3:6 Or wheel of birth
- James 3:6 Greek Gehenna
- James 3:10 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 12
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.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.