Parallel Bible results for "james 3"

James 3

The Bible in Basic English BBE

1 Do not all be teachers, my brothers, because we teachers will be judged more hardly than others.

2 For we all go wrong in a number of things. If a man never makes a slip in his talk, then he is a complete man and able to keep all his body in control.

3 Now if we put bits of iron into horses' mouths so that they may be guided by us, we have complete control of their bodies.

4 And again ships, though they are so great and are moved by violent winds, are turned by a very small guiding-blade, at the impulse of the man who is using it.

5 Even so the tongue is a small part of the body, but it takes credit for great things. How much wood may be lighted by a very little fire!

6 And the tongue is a fire; it is the power of evil placed in our bodies, making all the body unclean, putting the wheel of life on fire, and getting its fire from hell.

7 For every sort of beast and bird and every living thing on earth and in the sea has been controlled by man and is under his authority;

8 But the tongue may not be controlled by man; it is an unresting evil, it is full of the poison of death.

9 With it we give praise to our Lord and Father; and with it we put a curse on men who are made in God's image.

10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not right for these things to be so.

11 Does the fountain send from the same outlet sweet and bitter water?

12 Is a fig-tree able to give us olives, my brothers, or do we get figs from a vine, or sweet water from the salt sea?

13 Who has wisdom and good sense among you? let him make his works clear by a life of gentle wisdom.

14 But if you have bitter envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true.

15 This wisdom is not from heaven, but is of the earth and the flesh and the Evil One.

16 For where envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing.

17 But the wisdom which is from heaven is first holy, then gentle, readily giving way in argument, full of peace and mercy and good works, not doubting, not seeming other than it is.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace for those who make peace.

Good News Translation GNT

1 My friends, not many of you should become teachers. As you know, we teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others.

2 All of us often make mistakes. But if a person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to control his whole being.

3 We put a bit into the mouth of a horse to make it obey us, and we are able to make it go where we want.

4 Or think of a ship: big as it is and driven by such strong winds, it can be steered by a very small rudder, and it goes wherever the pilot wants it to go.

5 So it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things. Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame!

6 And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself.

7 We humans are able to tame and have tamed all other creatures - wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish.

8 But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison.

9 We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse other people, who are created in the likeness of God.

10 Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My friends, this should not happen!

11 No spring of water pours out sweet water and bitter water from the same opening.

12 A fig tree, my friends, cannot bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear figs, nor can a salty spring produce sweet water.

13 Are there any of you who are wise and understanding? You are to prove it by your good life, by your good deeds performed with humility and wisdom.

14 But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom.

15 Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic.

16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.

17 But the wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.

18 And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.