James 3-4
New American Standard Bible
The Tongue Is a Fire
3 (A)Do not become teachers in large numbers, (B)my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a [a]stricter judgment. 2 For we all (C)stumble in many ways. (D)If anyone does not stumble in [b]what he says, he is a (E)perfect man, able to [c](F)rein in the whole body as well. 3 Now (G)if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their whole body as well. 4 Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it (H)boasts of great things.
(I)See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And (J)the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among [d]our body’s parts as that which (K)defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our [e]life, and is set on fire by [f](L)hell. 7 For every [g]species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human [h]race. 8 But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of (M)deadly poison. 9 With it we bless (N)our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, (O)who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring send out from the same opening both [i]fresh and bitter water? 12 (P)Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce [j]fresh.
Wisdom from Above
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? (Q)Let him show by his (R)good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter (S)jealousy and [k]selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against (T)the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down (U)from above, but is (V)earthly, [l](W)natural, (X)demonic. 16 For where (Y)jealousy and [m]selfish ambition exist, [n]there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom (Z)from above is first (AA)pure, then (AB)peace-loving, (AC)gentle, [o]reasonable, (AD)full of mercy and good fruits, [p](AE)impartial, free of (AF)hypocrisy. 18 And the (AG)fruit of righteousness is sown in peace [q]by those who make peace.
Things to Avoid
4 [r]What is the source of quarrels and (AH)conflicts among you? [s]Is the source not your pleasures that wage (AI)war in [t]your body’s parts? 2 You lust and do not have, so you (AJ)commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and (AK)do not receive, because you ask [u]with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request [v]on your pleasures. 4 You (AL)adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with (AM)the world is (AN)hostility toward God? (AO)Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture (AP)says to no purpose, “[w]He [x]jealously desires (AQ)the Spirit whom He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But (AR)He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “(AS)God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 (AT)Submit therefore to God. But [y](AU)resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 (AV)Come close to God and He will come close to you. (AW)Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and (AX)purify your hearts, you (AY)[z]double-minded. 9 (AZ)Be miserable, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom. 10 (BA)Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
11 (BB)Do not speak against one another, (BC)brothers and sisters. The one who speaks against a brother or sister, or (BD)judges his brother or sister, speaks against (BE)the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not (BF)a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one (BG)Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is (BH)able to save and to destroy; but (BI)who are you, [aa]judging your neighbor?
13 (BJ)Come now, you who say, “(BK)Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 [ab]Yet you do not know [ac]what your life will be like tomorrow. (BL)For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. 15 [ad]Instead, you ought to say, “(BM)If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your [ae]arrogance; (BN)all such boasting is evil. 17 So (BO)for one who knows the [af]right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.
Footnotes
- James 3:1 Or greater condemnation; i.e., for erroneous doctrine
- James 3:2 Lit word
- James 3:2 Or hold in check
- James 3:6 Lit our parts
- James 3:6 Or existence, origin
- James 3:6 Gr Gehenna
- James 3:7 Lit nature
- James 3:7 Lit nature
- James 3:11 Lit sweet
- James 3:12 Lit sweet
- James 3:14 Or strife
- James 3:15 Or unspiritual
- James 3:16 Or strife
- James 3:16 I.e., in that place
- James 3:17 Or willing to yield
- James 3:17 Or unwavering
- James 3:18 Or for
- James 4:1 Lit From where wars and from where fightings
- James 4:1 Lit Are they not from here, from your
- James 4:1 Lit your parts
- James 4:3 Lit wrongly
- James 4:3 Lit in
- James 4:5 Or The spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy
- James 4:5 Lit desires to jealousy
- James 4:7 Or oppose
- James 4:8 I.e., chronic doubters
- James 4:12 Lit the one judging
- James 4:14 Lit Who do not
- James 4:14 Or what will happen tomorrow. What kind of life is yours?
- James 4:15 Lit Instead of your saying
- James 4:16 Or pretensions
- James 4:17 Or good
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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