James 3:3-12

New American Standard Bible

³ Now ^(A)if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their whole body as well. ⁴ Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it ^(B)boasts of great things.

^(C)See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! ⁶ And ^(D)the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among ^[a]our body’s parts as that which ^(E)defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our ^[b]life, and is set on fire by ^[c](F)hell. ⁷ For every ^[d]species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human ^[e]race. ⁸ But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of ^(G)deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless ^(H)our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, ^(I)who have been made in the likeness of God; ¹⁰ from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. ¹¹ Does a spring send out from the same opening both ^[f]fresh and bitter water? ^12 (J)Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce ^[g]fresh.