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Not 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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 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. 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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Speak Wisely

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach[a] will be judged more severely than others.[b] For all of us make many mistakes. If someone does not make any mistakes when he speaks, he is perfect and able to control his whole body. Now if we put bits into horses’ mouths to make them obey us, we can guide their whole bodies as well. And look at ships! They are so big that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the helmsman directs.

In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it can boast of great achievements. A huge forest can be set on fire by a little flame. The tongue is a fire, a world of evil. Placed among the parts of our bodies, the tongue contaminates the whole body and sets on fire the course of life, and is itself set on fire by hell.[c] For all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures can be or have been tamed by humans, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil filled with deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in God’s likeness. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. It should not be like this, my brothers! 11 A spring cannot pour both fresh and brackish water from the same opening, can it? 12 My brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives, nor a grapevine figs, can it? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:1 The Gk. lacks who teach
  2. James 3:1 The Gk. lacks than others
  3. James 3:6 Gk. Gehenna; a Gk. transliteration of the Heb. for Valley of Hinnom