James 3:3-13
World English Bible
3 Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body. 4 Behold,[a] the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires. 5 So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! 6 And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.[b] 7 For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; 8 but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God. 10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
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James 3:3-13
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
3 If we set bits in the horses’ mouths to make them obey us, we can turn their whole bodies about.
4 Likewise, look at the ships: though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things. See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze!
6 And the tongue is a fire. [The tongue is a] world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of birth (the cycle of man’s nature), being itself ignited by hell (Gehenna).
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea animal, can be tamed and has been tamed by human genius (nature).
8 But the human tongue can be tamed by no man. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God’s likeness!
10 Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so.
11 Does a fountain send forth [simultaneously] from the same opening fresh water and bitter?
12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can a salt spring furnish fresh water.
13 Who is there among you who is wise and intelligent? Then let him by his noble living show forth his [good] works with the [unobtrusive] humility [which is the proper attribute] of true wisdom.
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James 3:3-13
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
3 Now if we put bridles into the mouths of horses so-that they obey us, we also guide their whole body. 4 Behold also ships being so large and being driven by hard winds— they are guided by a very small rudder where the impulse of the one steering wants. 5 So also the tongue is a small body-part, and boastfully-declares great things. Behold how-small a fire kindles how-great a forest!
An Untamed Tongue Stains And Burns And Poisons Life
6 And the tongue is a fire! The[a] tongue is made[b] the world of [c] unrighteousness among our body-parts— the thing staining the whole body and setting-on-fire the course of our existence, and being set-on-fire by Gehenna[d]. 7 For every nature[e] of both wild-animals and birds, of both reptiles and sea-creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by the human nature. 8 But none of mankind is able to tame the tongue— a restless evil, full of death-bringing poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse the people having been made in accordance with the likeness of God; 10 a blessing and a curse come out of the same mouth.
Such Destruction Ought Not To Proceed From Us
My brothers, these things ought[f] not to be so. 11 The spring does not gush out of the same opening the sweet and the bitter, does it? 12 A fig tree is not able, my brothers, to make olives, or a grapevine figs, is it? Neither is salty water able to make sweet water.
Your Speech And Conduct And The Fruit They Produce Reveal The Source of Your Wisdom
13 Who[g] is wise and knowledgeable among you? Let him show from his good conduct his works done in the gentleness of wisdom.
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- James 3:6 Or, fire, the world of unrighteousness! The tongue is set among our body-parts as the thing.
- James 3:6 Or, is set, is constituted. Or, makes-itself, renders-itself.
- James 3:6 Or, characterized by, belonging to, used by, ruled by.
- James 3:6 Or, Hell.
- James 3:7 That is, natural disposition. Or, species, both times in this verse.
- James 3:10 Or, must not. It is true for mankind in general, but not for doers of the word (1:26). A tree is known by its fruit.
- James 3:13 Do you claim to have wisdom and knowledge? What does your fruit say about you?
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Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
