Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Living Translation NLT
1 Be ye not many masters, my brethren, knowing that you receive the greater judgment.
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Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
2 For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. He is able also with a bridle to lead about the whole body.
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Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
3 For if we put bits into the mouths of horses, that they may obey us: and we turn about their whole body.
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We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.
4 Behold also ships, whereas they are great and are driven by strong winds, yet are they turned about with a small helm, whithersoever the force of the governor willeth.
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And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
5 Even so the tongue is indeed a little member and boasteth great things. Behold how small a fire kindleth a great wood.
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In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is placed among our members, which defileth the whole body and inflameth the wheel of our nativity, being set on fire by hell.
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And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
7 For every nature of beasts and of birds and of serpents and of the rest is tamed and hath been tamed, by the nature of man.
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People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,
8 But the tongue no man can tame, an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison.
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but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
9 By it we bless God and the Father: and by it we curse men who are made after the likeness of God.
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Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
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And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
11 Doth a fountain send forth, out of the same hole, sweet and bitter water?
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Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear grapes? Or the vine, figs? So neither can the salt water yield sweet.
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Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge, among you? Let him shew, by a good contestation, his work in the meekness of wisdom.
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If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter zeal, and there be contention in your hearts: glory not and be not liars against the truth.
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But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.
15 For this is not wisdom, descending from above: but earthly, sensual, devilish.
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For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
16 For where envying and contention is: there is inconstancy and every evil work.
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For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17 But the wisdom that is from above, first indeed is chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded, consenting to the good, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without dissimulation.
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But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
18 And the fruit of justice is sown in peace, to them that make peace.
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And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
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Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.