1 M y brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

Many teachers become not, my brethren, having known that greater judgment we shall receive,

2 F or we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

for we all make many stumbles; if any one in word doth not stumble, this one a perfect man, able to bridle also the whole body;

3 I ndeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.

lo, the bits we put into the mouths of the horses for their obeying us, and their whole body we turn about;

4 L ook also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.

lo, also the ships, being so great, and by fierce winds being driven, are led about by a very small helm, whithersoever the impulse of the helmsman doth counsel,

5 E ven so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!

so also the tongue is a little member, and doth boast greatly; lo, a little fire how much wood it doth kindle!

6 A nd the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.

and the tongue a fire, the world of the unrighteousness, so the tongue is set in our members, which is spotting our whole body, and is setting on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by the gehenna.

7 F or every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.

For every nature, both of beasts and of fowls, both of creeping things and things of the sea, is subdued, and hath been subdued, by the human nature,

8 B ut no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

and the tongue no one of men is able to subdue, an unruly evil, full of deadly poison,

9 W ith it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

with it we do bless the God and Father, and with it we do curse the men made according to the similitude of God;

10 O ut of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

out of the same mouth doth come forth blessing and cursing; it doth not need, my brethren, these things so to happen;

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

doth the fountain out of the same opening pour forth the sweet and the bitter?

12 C an a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

is a fig-tree able, my brethren, olives to make? or a vine figs? so no fountain salt and sweet water to make.

13 W ho is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

Who wise and intelligent among you? let him shew out of the good behaviour his works in meekness of wisdom,

14 B ut if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

and if bitter zeal ye have, and rivalry in your heart, glory not, nor lie against the truth;

15 T his wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.

this wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like,

16 F or where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

for where zeal and rivalry, there is insurrection and every evil matter;

17 B ut the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

and the wisdom from above, first, indeed, is pure, then peaceable, gentle, easily entreated, full of kindness and good fruits, uncontentious, and unhypocritical: --

18 N ow the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

and the fruit of the righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.