The Letter of James, 3

¹ Not many of YOU should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.

² For we all stumble many times. If anyone does not stumble in word, this one is a perfect man, able to bridle also [his] whole body.

³ If we put bridles in the mouths of horses for them to obey us, we manage also their whole body.

⁴ Look! Even boats, although they are so big and are driven by hard winds, are steered by a very small rudder to where the inclination of the man at the helm wishes.

⁵ So, too, the tongue is a little member and yet makes great brags. Look! How little a fire it takes to set so great a woodland on fire!

⁶ Well, the tongue is a fire. The tongue is constituted a world of unrighteousness among our members, for it spots up all the body and sets the wheel of natural life aflame and it is set aflame by Ge·henʹna.^*1

⁷ For every species of wild beast as well as bird and creeping thing and sea creature is to be tamed and has been tamed by humankind.

⁸ But the tongue, not one of mankind can get it tamed. An unruly injurious thing, it is full of death-dealing poison.

⁹ With it we bless Jehovah,^*1 even [the] Father, and yet with it we curse men who have come into existence “in the likeness of God.”

¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. It is not proper, my brothers, for these things to go on occurring this way.

¹¹ A fountain does not cause the sweet and the bitter to bubble out of the same opening, does it?

¹² My brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives or a vine figs, can it? Neither can salt water produce sweet water.

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among YOU? Let him show out of his fine conduct his works with a mildness that belongs to wisdom.

¹⁴ But if YOU have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in YOUR hearts, do not be bragging^*1 and lying against the truth.

¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is [the] earthly, animal,^*1 demonic.

¹⁶ For where jealousy and contentiousness are, there disorder^*1 and every vile thing are.

¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first of all chaste, then peaceable, reasonable,^*1 ready to obey, full of mercy and good fruits, not making partial distinctions, not hypocritical.

¹⁸ Moreover, the fruit of righteousness has its seed sown under peaceful conditions^*1 for^*2 those who are making peace.