1 M any teachers become not, my brethren, having known that greater judgment we shall receive,

Not 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.

2 f or 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;

For 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.

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

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

4 l o, 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,

Likewise, 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.

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

Even 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!

6 a nd 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.

And 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).

7 F or 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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11 d oth the fountain out of the same opening pour forth the sweet and the bitter?

Does a fountain send forth from the same opening fresh water and bitter?

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

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

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

Who 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.

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

But 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.

15 t his wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like,

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

16 f or where zeal and rivalry, there is insurrection and every evil matter;

For 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.

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

But 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).

18 a nd the fruit of the righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.

And 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.