Third Millennium Bible TMB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 My brethren, let not many be masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
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Brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers. You know that we who teach will be judged more severely.
2 For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body.
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All of us make a lot of mistakes. If someone doesn't make any mistakes when he speaks, he would be perfect. He would be able to control everything he does.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body.
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We put bits in the mouths of horses to make them obey us, and we have control over everything they do.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great and are driven by fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the helmsman pleases.
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The same thing is true for ships. They are very big and are driven by strong winds. Yet, by using small rudders, pilots steer ships wherever they want them to go.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a wood a little fire kindleth!
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In the same way the tongue is a small part of the body, but it can brag about doing important things. A large forest can be set on fire by a little flame.
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire from hell.
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The tongue is that kind of flame. It is a world of evil among the parts of our bodies, and it completely contaminates our bodies. The tongue sets our lives on fire, and is itself set on fire from hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird and serpent and thing in the sea is tamed, and hath been tamed, by mankind.
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People have tamed all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures.
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
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Yet, no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil filled with deadly poison.
9 Therewith we bless God, even the Father, and therewith we curse men, who are made in the similitude of God.
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With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. Yet, with the same tongues we curse people, who were created in God's likeness.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
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Praise and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen!
11 Doth a fountain send forth from the same place sweet water and bitter?
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Do clean and polluted water flow out of the same spring?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, or a vine figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.
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My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? In the same way, a pool of salt water can't produce fresh water.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show his works out of good conduct and with the meekness of wisdom.
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Do any of you have wisdom and insight? Show this by living the right way with the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
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But if you are bitterly jealous and filled with self-centered ambition, don't brag. Don't say that you are wise when it isn't true.
15 Such wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
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That kind of wisdom doesn't come from above. It belongs to this world. It is self-centered and demonic.
16 For where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work.
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Wherever there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and every kind of evil.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
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However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of those who make peace.
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A harvest that has God's approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.