James 2:18-3

New King James Version

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” ^(A)Show me your faith without ^[a]your works, ^(B)and I will show you my faith by ^[b]my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is ^[c]dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works ^(C)when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see ^(D)that faith was working together with his works, and by ^(E)works faith was made ^[d]perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ^(F)“Abraham believed God, and it was ^[e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called ^(G)the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, ^(H)was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

The Untamable Tongue

3 My brethren, ^(I)let not many of you become teachers, ^(J)knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. ² For ^(K)we all stumble in many things. ^(L)If anyone does not stumble in word, ^(M)he is a ^[f]perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. ^3 [g]Indeed, ^(N)we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. ⁴ Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. ⁵ Even so ^(O)the tongue is a little member and ^(P)boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And ^(Q)the tongue is a fire, a world of ^[h]iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it ^(R)defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of ^[i]nature; and it is set on fire by ^[j]hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, ^(S)full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made ^(T)in the ^[k]similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a ^(U)fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? ^[l]Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

^13 (V)Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have ^(W)bitter envy and ^[m]self-seeking in your hearts, ^(X)do not boast and lie against the truth. ^15 (Y)This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For ^(Z)where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But ^(AA)the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, ^(AB)without partiality ^(AC)and without hypocrisy. ^18 (AD)Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.