Epistle of James - The New Testament

¹ Only a few of you, my brothers, should be teachers, bearing in mind that we shall receive a stricter judgement.

² For we all trip up in many ways. Someone who does not trip up in speech has reached perfection and is able to keep the whole body on a tight rein.

³ Once we put a bit in the horse's mouth, to make it do what we want, we have the whole animal under our control.

⁴ Or think of ships: no matter how big they are, even if a gale is driving them, they are directed by a tiny rudder wherever the whim of the helmsman decides.

⁵ So the tongue is only a tiny part of the body, but its boasts are great. Think how small a flame can set fire to a huge forest;

⁶ The tongue is a flame too. Among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a whole wicked world: it infects the whole body; catching fire itself from hell, it sets fire to the whole wheel of creation.

⁷ Wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish of every kind can all be tamed, and have been tamed, by humans;

⁸ but nobody can tame the tongue -- it is a pest that will not keep still, full of deadly poison.

⁹ We use it to bless the Lord and Father, but we also use it to curse people who are made in God's image:

¹⁰ the blessing and curse come out of the same mouth. My brothers, this must be wrong-

¹¹ does any water supply give a flow of fresh water and salt water out of the same pipe?

¹² Can a fig tree yield olives, my brothers, or a vine yield figs? No more can sea water yield fresh water.

¹³ Anyone who is wise or understanding among you should from a good life give evidence of deeds done in the gentleness of wisdom.

¹⁴ But if at heart you have the bitterness of jealousy, or selfish ambition, do not be boastful or hide the truth with lies;

¹⁵ this is not the wisdom that comes from above, but earthly, human and devilish.

¹⁶ Wherever there are jealousy and ambition, there are also disharmony and wickedness of every kind;

¹⁷ whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it is also peaceable, kindly and considerate; it is full of mercy and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it.

¹⁸ The peace sown by peacemakers brings a harvest of justice.