James · Catholic Public Domain Version
James 3 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 My brothers, not many of you should choose to become teachers, knowing that you shall receive a stricter judgment.
1 Μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε, ἀδελφοί μου, εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρῖμα ληψόμεθα·
2 For we all offend in many ways. If anyone does not offend in word, he is a perfect man. And he is then able, as if with a bridle, to lead the whole body around.
2 πολλὰ γὰρ πταίομεν ἅπαντες. εἴ τις ἐν λόγῳ οὐ πταίει, οὗτος τέλειος ἀνήρ, δυνατὸς χαλιναγωγῆσαι καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα.
3 For so we put bridles into the mouths of horses, in order to submit them to our will, and so we turn their whole body around.
3 ἴδε τῶν ἵππων τοὺς χαλινοὺς εἰς τὰ στόματα βάλλομεν πρὸς τὸ πείθεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἡμῖν, καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα αὐτῶν μετάγομεν.
4 Consider also the ships, which, though they are great and may be driven by strong winds, yet they are turned around with a small rudder, to be directed to wherever the strength of the pilot might will.
4 ἰδοὺ καὶ τὰ πλοῖα, τηλικαῦτα ὄντα καὶ ὑπὸ σκληρῶν ἀνέμων ἐλαυνόμενα, μετάγεται ὑπὸ ἐλαχίστου πηδαλίου ὅπου ἂν ἡ ὁρμὴ τοῦ εὐθύνοντος βούληται.
5 So also the tongue certainly is a small part, but it moves great things. Consider that a small fire can set ablaze a great forest.
5 οὕτω καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα μικρὸν μέλος ἐστὶ καὶ μεγαλαυχεῖ. ἰδοὺ ὀλίγον πῦρ ἡλίκην ὕλην ἀνάπτει!
6 And so the tongue is like a fire, comprising all iniquity. The tongue, stationed in the midst of our body, can defile the entire body and inflame the wheel of our nativity, setting a fire from Hell.
6 καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ, ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας. οὕτως ἡ γλῶσσα καθίσταται ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν ἡ σπιλοῦσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα καὶ φλογίζουσα τὸν τροχὸν τῆς γενέσεως καὶ φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης.
7 For the nature of all beasts and birds and serpents and others is ruled over, and has been ruled over, by human nature.
7 πᾶσα γὰρ φύσις θηρίων τε καὶ πετεινῶν ἑρπετῶν τε καὶ ἐναλίων δαμάζεται καὶ δεδάμασται τῇ φύσει τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ,
8 But no man is able to rule over the tongue, a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
8 τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν οὐδεὶς δύναται ἀνθρώπων δαμάσαι· ἀκατάσχετον κακόν, μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου.
9 By it we bless God the Father, and by it we speak evil of men, who have been made in the likeness of God.
9 ἐν αὐτῇ εὐλογοῦμεν τὸν Θεὸν καὶ πατέρα, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ καταρώμεθα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς καθ᾽ ὁμοίωσιν Θεοῦ γεγονότας·
10 From the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so!
10 ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ στόματος ἐξέρχεται εὐλογία καὶ κατάρα. οὐ χρή, ἀδελφοί μου, ταῦτα οὕτω γίνεσθαι.
11 Does a fountain emit, out of the same opening, both sweet and bitter water?
11 μήτι ἡ πηγὴ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ὀπῆς βρύει τὸ γλυκὺ καὶ τὸ πικρόν;
12 My brothers, can the fig tree yield grapes? Or the vine, figs? Then neither is salt water able to produce fresh water.
12 μὴ δύναται, ἀδελφοί μου, συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα; οὕτως οὐδεμία πηγὴ ἁλυκὸν καὶ γλυκὺ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ.
13 Who is wise and well-taught among you? Let him show, by means of good conversation, his work in the meekness of wisdom.
13 Τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων ἐν ὑμῖν; δειξάτω ἐκ τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας.
14 But if you hold a bitter zeal, and if there is contention in your hearts, then do not boast and do not be liars against the truth.
14 εἰ δὲ ζῆλον πικρὸν ἔχετε καὶ ἐριθείαν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν, μὴ κατακαυχᾶσθε καὶ ψεύδεσθε κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας.
15 For this is not wisdom, descending from above, but rather it is earthly, beastly, and diabolical.
15 οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν κατερχομένη, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίγειος, ψυχική, δαιμονιώδης.
16 For wherever envy and contention is, there too is inconstancy and every depraved work.
16 ὅπου γὰρ ζῆλος καὶ ἐριθεία, ἐκεῖ ἀκαταστασία καὶ πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα.
17 But within the wisdom that is from above, certainly, chastity is first, and next peacefulness, meekness, openness, consenting to what is good, a plenitude of mercy and good fruits, not judging, without falseness.
17 ἡ δὲ ἄνωθεν σοφία πρῶτον μὲν ἁγνή ἐστιν, ἔπειτα εἰρηνική, ἐπιεικής, εὐπειθής, μεστὴ ἐλέους καὶ καρπῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἀδιάκριτος καὶ ἀνυπόκριτος.
18 And so the fruit of justice is sown in peace by those who make peace.
18 καρπὸς δὲ [τῆς] δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην.
Cross references (16)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Timothy 1:7; Luke 12:47–48; 1 Peter 5:3; Matthew 23:13; 1 Corinthians 12:28
- 2 James 1:26; Proverbs 13:3; 1 Peter 3:10; Matthew 12:37; Psalm 34:13
- 3 Psalm 32:9; Psalm 39:1; James 1:26; 2 Kings 19:28
- 4 Matthew 8:24; Psalm 107:25–27; Acts 27:14–38
- 5 Proverbs 18:21; Proverbs 12:18; Jeremiah 9:3–8; Proverbs 15:2; Psalm 17:10
- 6 Psalm 120:2–3; Proverbs 16:27; Mark 7:15; Matthew 15:11–20; Proverbs 15:1
- 8 Romans 3:13; Psalm 140:3; Psalm 55:21; James 3:6; Psalm 57:4
- 9 Psalm 10:7; Genesis 1:26–27; Genesis 9:6; Psalm 62:4; Psalm 59:12
- 10 Romans 12:14; 1 Peter 3:9; 1 Corinthians 3:3; Psalm 50:16–20; 1 Timothy 5:13
- 12 Luke 6:43–44; Matthew 12:33; Matthew 7:16–20; Jeremiah 2:21; Romans 11:16–18
- 13 Galatians 5:23; James 3:17; Matthew 5:5; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 2:12
- 14 James 3:16; 1 Corinthians 13:4; Philippians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 3:3; Romans 13:13
- 15 James 3:17; James 1:17; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Philippians 3:19; 1 Corinthians 2:14
- 16 James 3:14; 1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Corinthians 14:33; 1 John 3:12; Galatians 5:20
- 17 Galatians 5:22–23; Proverbs 2:6; 1 Corinthians 13:4–7; James 3:15; Romans 12:9
- 18 Matthew 5:9; Hosea 10:12; Philippians 1:11; Isaiah 32:16–17; Galatians 6:8
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?" At times I read and hear: "My brethren, be not many masters, seeing that ye shall receive the greater condemnation: for in many things we offend all." "I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?" But see, I rise and open.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)