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
Jak 3
Haitian Creole Version
3 ¶ Frè m' yo, se pa pou anpil moun nan mitan nou kouri dèyè plas dirèktè. Paske, konnen byen: lè nou dirèktè, Bondye ap jije nou pi sevè pase lòt yo.
2 Nou tout nou bite nan plizyè sans. Yon moun ki pa janm bite nan pawòl li, se yon moun ki bon nèt; moun sa a kapab kontwole tout kò l' byen tou.
3 Nou mete yon mò nan bouch chwal pou fè yo obeyi nou. Avèk sa, nou fè y ale kote nou vle.
4 Se menm jan an tou ak bato. Gwo kou l' gwo, gwo van te mèt ap pouse l', se yon ti gouvènay ki dirije li. Ak gouvènay tou piti sa a, kaptenn lan mennen l'l kote l' vle.
5 Konsa tou ak lang moun. Piti kou li piti, li vante tèt li pou gwo bagay li ka fè. Gade ki jan yon ti flanm dife ka boule yon gwo rakbwa!
6 Enben, lang se tankou dife. Se la tout lenjistis rete. Paske se yon manm nan kò nou li ye, l'ap kontaminen tout kò a nèt. Se lanfè menm ki mete dife nan li. Apre sa, li menm pou tèt pa l', li mete dife nan tout lavi nou.
7 Moun ka donte tout kalite bèt, zwezo, bèt ki trennen sou vant, bèt ki nan lanmè. Li menm rive donte yo deja.
8 Men, pou lang lan menm, pesonn poko ka donte li. Se yon move bagay ou pa ka kontwole, li plen pwazon ki ka touye moun.
9 Avèk lang nou, nou fè lwanj Bondye papa nou. Avèk menm lang lan, nou bay moun madichon, moun Bondye te kreye pòtre ak li.
10 Menm bouch la bay benediksyon, li bay madichon tou. Frè m' yo, sa pa dwe fèt konsa.
11 Yon sous dlo pa ka bay dlo dous ak dlo sale anmenmtan.
12 Frè m' yo, yon pye fig frans pa ka donnen grenn oliv. Ni yon pye rezen pa ka donnen fig frans. Dlo sale pa ka bay dlo dous non plis.
13 ¶ Si gen nan mitan nou yon moun ki gen bon konprann, ki gen lespri, se pou l' moutre sa ak bon kondit li. Se pou l' fè sa ki byen san lògèy, men avèk bon konprann.
14 Men, si n'ap fè jalouzi nan kè nou, si nou kenbe moun nan kè nou, si n'ap kouri dèyè enterè pa nou, pa vante tèt nou, pa fè manti sou laverite a.
15 Bon konprann konsa pa soti nan Bondye, li soti nan lemonn, nan moun ak nan dyab la.
16 Paske, kote ki gen jalouzi, kote moun ap kouri dèyè enterè pa yo, fòk gen dezòd ak tout kalite mechanste.
17 Pou konmanse, moun ki gen bon konprann ki soti nan Bondye a ap fè volonte Bondye, l'ap viv byen ak tout moun, l'ap respekte tout moun, l'ap tande rezon, l'ap gen kè sansib, l'ap fè anpil anpil byen, li pa nan de fas ni nan ipokrit.
18 Moun k'ap chache pou lèzòm viv byen yonn ak lòt, y'ap travay ak kè poze pou yo ka rekòlte yon lavi ki dwat devan Bondye.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
