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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</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/james/3.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc//james/3-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/james/">James</a> > James 3</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../james/2.htm" title="James 2">◄</a> James 3 <a href="../james/4.htm" title="James 4">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/james/3.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/james/3.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/james/3.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/james/3.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/james/3.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/james/3.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/james/3.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Taming the Tongue<br /><span class="cross">(<a href ="../psalms/64.htm">Psalm 64:1–10</a>)</span><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. <A name="3"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body. <A name="4"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal. <A name="5"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined. <A name="6"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. <A name="7"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> <A name="8"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, <A name="9"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. <A name="10"></a><p class="reg"><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 men, who have been made in God’s likeness. <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! <A name="12"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Can both fresh water and salt water<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> flow from the same spring? <A name="13"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> produce fresh water. <A name="14"></a><p class="hdg">The Wisdom from Above<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. <A name="15"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. <A name="16"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. <A name="17"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice. <A name="18"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. <span class="reftext"><a href="/james/3-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span> </p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">6</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> Greek <i>Gehenna</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">11</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> Literally <i>Can both fresh and bitter</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">12</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> Literally <i>Neither can salt</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">18</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> Literally <i>But the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those making peace.</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. 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