1 N ot many should become teachers ( self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know that we will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity.

My Christian brothers, not many of you should become teachers. If we do wrong, it will be held against us more than other people who are not teachers.

2 F or we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech, he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature.

We all make many mistakes. If anyone does not make a mistake with his tongue by saying the wrong things, he is a perfect man. It shows he is able to make his body do what he wants it to do.

3 I f we set bits in the horses’ mouths to make them obey us, we can turn their whole bodies about.

We make a horse go wherever we want it to go by a small bit in its mouth. We turn its whole body by this.

4 L ikewise, look at the ships: though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines.

Sailing ships are driven by strong winds. But a small rudder turns a large ship whatever way the man at the wheel wants the ship to go.

5 E ven so the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things. See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze!

The tongue is also a small part of the body, but it can speak big things. See how a very small fire can set many trees on fire.

6 A nd the tongue is a fire. world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of birth (the cycle of man’s nature), being itself ignited by hell (Gehenna).

The tongue is a fire. It is full of wrong. It poisons the whole body. The tongue sets our whole lives on fire with a fire that comes from hell.

7 F or every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea animal, can be tamed and has been tamed by human genius (nature).

Men can make all kinds of animals and birds and fish and snakes do what they want them to do.

8 B ut the human tongue can be tamed by no man. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison.

But no man can make his tongue say what he wants it to say. It is sinful and does not rest. It is full of poison that kills.

9 W ith it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God’s likeness!

With our tongue we give thanks to our Father in heaven. And with our tongue we speak bad words against men who are made like God.

10 O ut of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so.

Giving thanks and speaking bad words come from the same mouth. My Christian brothers, this is not right!

11 D oes a fountain send forth from the same opening fresh water and bitter?

Does a well of water give good water and bad water from the same place?

12 C an a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can a salt spring furnish fresh water.

Can a fig tree give olives or can a grape-vine give figs? A well does not give both good water and bad water. Wisdom from Above

13 W ho is there among you who is wise and intelligent? Then let him by his noble living show forth his works with the humility of true wisdom.

Who among you is wise and understands? Let that one show from a good life by the things he does that he is wise and gentle.

14 B ut if you have bitter jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry, selfish ambition) in your hearts, do not pride yourselves on it and thus be in defiance of and false to the Truth.

If you have jealousy in your heart and fight to have many things, do not be proud of it. Do not lie against the truth.

15 T his wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual (animal), even devilish (demoniacal).

This is not the kind of wisdom that comes from God. But this wisdom comes from the world and from that which is not Christian and from the devil.

16 F or wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil and vile practices.

Wherever you find jealousy and fighting, there will be trouble and every other kind of wrong-doing.

17 B ut the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity).

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. Then it gives peace. It is gentle and willing to obey. It is full of loving-kindness and of doing good. It has no doubts and does not pretend to be something it is not.

18 A nd the harvest of righteousness (of conformity to God’s will in thought and deed) is sown in peace by those who work for and make peace.

Those who plant seeds of peace will gather what is right and good.