New Revised Standard NRS
Common English Bible CEB
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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My brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers, because we know that we teachers will be judged more strictly.
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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We all make mistakes often, but those who don't make mistakes with their words have reached full maturity. Like a bridled horse, they can control themselves entirely.
3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies.
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When we bridle horses and put bits in their mouths to lead them wherever we want, we can control their whole 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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Consider ships: They are so large that strong winds are needed to drive them. But pilots direct their ships wherever they want with a little rudder.
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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In the same way, even though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts wildly. Think about this: A small flame can set a whole forest on 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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The tongue is a small flame of fire, a world of evil at work in us. It contaminates our entire lives. Because of it, the circle of life is set on fire. The tongue itself is set on fire by the flames of 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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People can tame and already have tamed every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish.
8 but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
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No one can tame the tongue, though. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
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 both bless the Lord and Father and curse human beings made in God's likeness.
10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
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Blessing and cursing come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, it just shouldn't be this way!
11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water?
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Both fresh water and salt water don't come from the same spring, do they?
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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My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? Of course not, and fresh water doesn't flow from a saltwater spring either.
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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Are any of you wise and understanding? Show that your actions are good with a humble lifestyle that comes from 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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However, if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, then stop bragging and living in ways that deny the truth.
15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.
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This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. Instead, it is from the earth, natural and demonic.
16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
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Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and everything that is evil.
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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What of the wisdom from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions, fair, and genuine.
18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
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Those who make peace sow the seeds of justice by their peaceful acts.
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.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible