Taming the Tongue

3 Not many of you should become teachers,^(A) my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged^(B) more strictly.^{(C) 2} We all stumble^(D) in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say^(E) is perfect,^(F) able to keep their whole body in check.^(G)

³ When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.^{(H) 4} Or 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. ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.^(I) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire,^(J) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,^(K) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.^(L)

⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.^(M)

⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.^{(N) 10} Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?^(O) Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it^(P) by their good life, by deeds^(Q) done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition^(R) in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.^{(S) 15} Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven^(T) but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.^{(U) 16} For where you have envy and selfish ambition,^(V) there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven^(W) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,^(X) considerate, submissive, full of mercy^(Y) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.^{(Z) 18} Peacemakers^(AA) who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.^(AB)

Submit Yourselves to God

4 What causes fights and quarrels^(AC) among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle^(AD) within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill.^(AE) You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive,^(AF) because you ask with wrong motives,^(AG) that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁴ You adulterous^(AH) people,^[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world^(AI) means enmity against God?^(AJ) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.^{(AK) 5} Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us^[b]?^{(AL) 6} But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,^(AN) and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you.^(AO) Wash your hands,^(AP) you sinners, and purify your hearts,^(AQ) you double-minded.^{(AR) 9} Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.^{(AS) 10} Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.^(AT)

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another.^(AU) Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister^[d] or judges them^(AV) speaks against the law^(AW) and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it,^(AX) but sitting in judgment on it. ¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge,^(AY) the one who is able to save and destroy.^(AZ) But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?^(BA)

Boasting About Tomorrow

¹³ Now listen,^(BB) you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”^{(BC) 14} Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.^{(BD) 15} Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will,^(BE) we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.^{(BF) 17} If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.^(BG)