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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>James 3 Christian Standard Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; 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The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed<a epub:type="noteref" href="#fn.James.3.6.1"><span class="fnAlphabet">A</span></a> among our members. It stains the whole body,<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.James.3.6.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> sets the course of life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.7" /> <A name="8"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish is tamed and has been tamed by humankind, <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.8" /> <A name="9"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.James.3.8.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.9" /> <A name="10"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.James.3.9.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.10" /> <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.11" /> <A name="12"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.12" /> <A name="13"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.</p><h3 class="head1">The Wisdom from Above</h3><p class="noind"><span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.13" /> <A name="14"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.James.3.13.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.14" /> <A name="15"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.James.3.14.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.15" /> <A name="16"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.James.3.15.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.16" /> <A name="17"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.17" /> <A name="18"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.James.3.17.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> <span epub:type="z3998:verse" id="start-James.3.18" /> <span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>And the fruit of righteousness<a epub:type="noteref" href="#xrf.James.3.18.1"><span class="xrfAlphabet">a</span></a> is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.</p><br /><section id="footnotes-James.3" class="fnSection"><aside id="fn.James.3.1.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.1">3:1</a></span> Or <span class="italic">brothers and sisters</span></aside><aside id="fn.James.3.6.1"><span class="footnote-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.6">3:6</a></span> Or <span class="italic">places itself</span>, or <span class="italic">appoints itself</span></aside><br /><section id="cross-references-James.3" class="xrfSection"><aside id="xrf.James.3.1.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.1">3:1</a></span> Mt 23:8; Rm 2:20–21; 1Tm 1:7</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.2.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.2">3:2</a></span> 1Kg 8:46; Pr 20:9; Jms 2:10</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.2.2"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.2">3:2</a></span> Mt 12:37; Jms 1:26; 1Pt 3:10</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.3.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.3">3:3</a></span> Ps 32:9; 39:1</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.5.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.5">3:5</a></span> Ps 12:3–4; 73:8–9</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.6.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.6">3:6</a></span> Ps 120:2–3; Pr 16:27; Mt 15:11,18</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.8.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.8">3:8</a></span> Ps 140:3; Ec 10:11; Rm 3:13</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.9.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.9">3:9</a></span> Gn 1:26; 1Co 11:7</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.13.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.13">3:13</a></span> Jms 1:21; 2:18</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.14.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.14">3:14</a></span> Rm 2:8; 13:13; 2Co 12:20</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.15.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.15">3:15</a></span> 2Th 2:9; 1Tm 4:1; Jms 1:17; Rv 2:24</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.17.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.17">3:17</a></span> Lk 6:36; Rm 12:9; 1Co 2:6; Heb 12:11; Jms 2:4</aside><aside id="xrf.James.3.18.1"><span class="cross-reference"><a href="#start-James.3.18">3:18</a></span> Pr 11:18; Is 32:17; Hs 10:12; Am 6:12; Gl 6:8; Php 1:11</aside><br /><section id="study-notes-James.3" class="snSection"><br /></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Christian Standard Bible. 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