James
3: 1-12
Taming the Tongue
1Not many of you should presume to be
teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what
he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3When we put bits into the mouths of
horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or
take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they
are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise
the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great
forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a
fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the
whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles
and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of
deadly poison.
9With the tongue we praise our Lord and
Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this
should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow
from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear
olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
