The Bible
James Chapter 3
1Don't let many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment. 2For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn't stumble in what they say is a perfect man, able to control the whole body as well. 3Indeed, we put bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body. 4Look at ships as well, [even] though they are big and driven by fierce winds, are guided by a tiny rudder, wherever the steersman wants. 5Similarly, the tongue is a small body-part. However, it boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! 6And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is a world of iniquity among our body-parts and defiles the whole body. It sets on fire the course of life, and is [itself] set on fire by Gehenna. 7For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; 8but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we praise ForeverOne our Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the image of God. 10Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. [Oh] my brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? So no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
13Who is wise and understanding among you-all? Let them show by their good conduct that their actions are done in gentleness of wisdom. 14But if you-all have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, don't boast and lie against the truth. 15This wisdom is not what comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
The Bible text is an adaptation of the WEB
to include nuanced meanings of particular ancient words for placenames, God and others of special interest.
In general square brackets:[] are used to indicate words not found in the original text.
They also indicate the 5 books of the Psalms, and the letters in Psalm 119;
and a few passages considered by some to be of questionable authenticity, marked with an asterisk(*).
