New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
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Do not all be teachers, my brothers, because we teachers will be judged more hardly than others.
2 For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle.
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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 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies.
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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 Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
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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 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!
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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. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell.
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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 species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species,
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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 no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
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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 bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.
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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 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
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Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not right for these things to be so.
11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water?
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Does the fountain send from the same outlet sweet and bitter water?
12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
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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 is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
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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 and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth.
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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 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.
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This wisdom is not from heaven, but is of the earth and the flesh and the Evil One.
16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
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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 from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.
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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 a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
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And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace for those who make peace.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.