James · Unlocked Literal Bible
James 3 Unlocked Literal Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
1 Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in words, he is a perfect man, able to control even his whole body.
2 For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.
3 Now if we put bits into horses' mouths for them to obey us, we can also direct their whole bodies.
3 Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body.
4 Notice also that ships, although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, are steered by a very small rudder to wherever the pilot desires.
4 Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires.
5 Likewise the tongue is a small body part, yet it boasts great things. Notice also how small a fire sets on fire a large forest.
5 So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest!
6 The tongue is also a fire, a world of sinfulness set among our body parts. It stains the whole body and sets on fire the course of life. It is itself set on fire by hell.
6 And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.
7 For every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is being tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
7 For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind;
8 But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
8 but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we praise the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God.
10 Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things should not happen.
10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring pour out from its opening both sweet and bitter water?
11 Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water?
12 Does a fig tree, my brothers, make olives? Or a grapevine, figs? Neither can salty water produce sweet water.
12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let that person show a good life by his works in the humility of wisdom.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and ambition in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth.
15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. Instead, it is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.
16 For where there are jealousy and ambition, there is confusion and every evil practice.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace among those who make peace.
18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
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)