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James 3 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

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Controlling the Tongue
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:1 - Dear brothers and sisters,[fn] not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:2 - Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:3 - We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:4 - And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:5 - In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.
But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:6 - And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.[fn]
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:7 - People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:8 - but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:9 - Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:10 - And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:11 - Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:12 - Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.[fn]
True Wisdom Comes from God
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:13 - If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:14 - But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:15 - For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:16 - For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:17 - But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
Unchecked Copy BoxJas 3:18 - And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.[fn]
NLT Footnotes
Greek brothers; also in 3:10.
Or for it will burn in hell (Greek Gehenna).
Greek from salt.
Or of good things, or of justice.
NLT

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Full copyright information is provided here. Visit the New Living Translation website.

For more information on this translation, see the NLT Preface.

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