James 3

3:1 My Christian brothers and sisters, not many of you should be teachers. God will demand more from teachers than from other people when he judges them. 3:2 All of us often make mistakes. Anyone who is never at fault in what he or she says is perfect. That person is also able to control his or her whole being. 3:3 We put a bit into the mouth of a horse to make it obey us. When we do this, we can turn the horse. We can make it go where we want. 3:4 For another example, look at ships that sail on the sea. They are large, and strong winds push them over the water. But a person can use a small rudder to make the large ship turn where he or she wants it to go. 3:5a The tongue is like that too. It is a very small part of the body but it talks about big things.

3:5b Just think how a tiny flame can set a large forest on fire! 3:6 The tongue also is like a fire. It is a like a world of evil among the parts of the body. It is a small part of the body but it makes the whole person bad. It seems to set the whole of a person’s life on fire. It is the fire that comes from hell. That is what makes the tongue so dangerous. 3:7 Human beings can make all kinds of animals, birds, snakes and fishes, do what they want them to do. 3:8 But no person can rule the tongue and stop it from saying evil things. It never rests and is full of poisons that can cause death. 3:9 We use the tongue to praise our Lord and Father. We also use it to speak evil things against people. But God made people to be like himself. 3:10 So we use the same mouth to praise and to speak evil things. My Christian brothers and sisters, we should not do this. 3:11 Bitter water and sweet water cannot come from the same spring. 3:12 My Christian brothers and sisters, a fig tree cannot grow olives. A plant that grows grapes cannot also grow figs. Neither can a spring have both bitter and sweet water.

3:13 Some of you are wise and understand these things. So, show your wisdom by the good things that you do. But be meek and live quiet lives. 3:14 But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter and selfish, do not be proud of it. Do not be so proud that you deny the truth. 3:15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. It is not the wisdom that is from God. No, it is from the earth, from the bad parts of human nature. It is like the wisdom of demons. 3:16 Where people are jealous and have selfish ambitions, there will be trouble. They will do all kinds of evil things. 3:17 But the wisdom that is from heaven is pure. It is also calm and quiet, gentle, and friendly. It is loving and kind, doing good to all. It values each person. And it is genuine and honest in all that it does. 3:18 Those who bring peace to other people help them to live at peace with everyone. Those who bring God’s peace to other people, God will make righteous.