James 3:1-12
Lexham English Bible
Restraining the Tongue
3 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you[a] know that we will receive a greater judgment.[b] 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual,[c] able to hold in check his whole body also. 3 And if we put bits in the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we also guide their whole bodies. 4 Behold also ships: although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot wishes. 5 So also the tongue is a small member of the body[d] and boasts great things. Behold how small a fire sets ablaze how great a forest! 6 And the tongue is a fire! The world of unrighteousness,[e] the tongue, is set among our members, defiling the whole body and setting on fire the course of human existence[f], being set on fire by hell.
7 For every species of animals and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is being tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no human being is able to tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the[g] Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so! 11 A spring does not pour forth from the same opening fresh and bitter water, does it?[h] 12 A fig tree is not able, my brothers, to produce olives, or a grapevine figs. Neither can a saltwater spring produce fresh water.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- James 3:1 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as causal
- James 3:1 Or “greater condemnation”
- James 3:2 Literally “man,” but clearly in a generic sense here meaning “someone, a person”
- James 3:5 The words “of the body” are not in the Greek text but are supplied for clarity
- James 3:6 Or “a fire, the world of unrighteousness! The tongue is set among our members”
- James 3:6 Literally “the wheel of origin”
- James 3:9 Or possibly “our,” if the Greek article is understood as a possessive pronoun
- James 3:11 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
James 3:1-12
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
3 Not mē many polys of you should become ginomai teachers didaskalos, my egō brothers adelphos, for you know oida that hoti those of us who teach will be judged lambanō by a stricter megas standard krima. 2 For gar we ptaiō all hapas stumble ptaiō in many ways polys. If ei someone tis does ptaiō not ou stumble ptaiō in en what he says logos, he houtos is a mature teleios individual anēr, able dynatos to bridle chalinagōgeō his ho whole holos body sōma as well kai. 3 Now de if ei we put ballō bits chalinos into eis the ho mouths stoma of ho horses hippos · ho to eis make them autos obey peithō us hēmeis, then kai we guide metagō their autos entire holos · ho body sōma. 4 Or kai consider idou · ho ships ploion: though they are eimi so large tēlikoutos and kai are driven elaunō by hypo strong sklēros winds anemos, they are steered metagō by hypo a very small elachistos rudder pēdalion, wherever hopou the ho impulse hormē of the ho pilot euthunō directs boulomai. 5 So houtōs also kai is eimi the ho tongue glōssa a small mikros member melos, yet kai it boasts aucheō of great things megas. See idou how large hēlikos a forest hylē is set on fire anaptō by such a small hēlikos flame pyr. 6 And kai the ho tongue glōssa is a fire pyr! The ho tongue glōssa is a ho world kosmos of ho iniquity adikia set kathistēmi among en · ho our hēmeis members melos; it ho defiles spiloō the ho whole holos body sōma, · kai sets on fire phlogizō the ho course trochos of our ho life genesis, and kai is set on fire phlogizō by hypo · ho hell geenna.
7 For gar every pas species physis of beast thērion and kai bird peteinon, reptile herpeton and kai sea creature enalios, can be tamed damazō, and kai has been tamed damazō by the ho human anthrōpinos species physis. · ho 8 But de the ho tongue glōssa, no one oudeis is able dynamai to tame damazō; it is a restless akatastatos evil kakos, full mestos of deadly thanatēphoros poison ios. 9 With en it autos we bless eulogeō our ho Lord kyrios and kai Father patēr, and kai with en it autos we curse kataraomai those ho who ho are made ginomai in kata the likeness homoiōsis of God theos. 10 From ek the ho same autos mouth stoma come exerchomai blessing eulogia and kai cursing katara. My egō brothers adelphos, this houtos should chrē not ou happen ginomai. 11 Does a ho spring pēgē pour forth bryō water from ek the ho same autos opening opē that is both · ho fresh glykys and kai · ho brackish pikros? 12 My egō brothers adelphos, can dynamai a fig tree sykē produce poieō olives elaia, or ē a grapevine ampelos figs sykon? Neither oute can a salt halykos spring supply poieō fresh glykys water hydōr.
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