James 3

₁My friends, we should not all try to become teachers. In fact, teachers will be judged more strictly than others. ₂All of us do many wrong things. But if you can control your tongue, you are mature and able to control your whole body.

₃By putting a bit into the mouth of a horse, we can turn the horse in different directions. ₄It takes strong winds to move a large sailing ship, but the captain uses only a small rudder to make it go in any direction. ₅Our tongues are small too, and yet they boast about big things.

It takes only a spark to start a forest fire! ₆The tongue is like a spark. It is an evil power that dirties the rest of the body and sets a person's entire life on fire with flames that come from hell itself. ₇All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures can be tamed and have been tamed. ₈But our tongues get out of control. They are restless and evil, and always spreading deadly poison.

_9-10My dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be ₁₁Can clean water and dirty water both flow from the same spring? ₁₂Can a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? Does fresh water come from a well full of salt water?

₁₃Are any of you wise or sensible? Then show it by living right and by being humble and wise in everything you do. ₁₄But if your heart is full of bitter jealousy and selfishness, don't boast or lie to cover-up the truth. ₁₅That kind of wisdom doesn't come from above. It is earthly and selfish and comes from the devil himself. ₁₆Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. ₁₇But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. ₁₈When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.