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Listen to James 3:1-13, 1 John 4:1-6
Taming the Tongue
3(A)Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2For (B)we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, (C)he is a perfect man, (D)able also to bridle his whole body. 3If we put (E)bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5So also the tongue is a small member, yet (F)it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6And (G)the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, (H)staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,[a] and set on fire by hell.[b] 7For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, (I)full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people (J)who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,[c] these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Wisdom from Above
13Who is wise and understanding among you? (K)By his good conduct let him show his works (L)in the meekness of wisdom.
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Footnotes
- James 3:6 Or wheel of birth
- James 3:6 Greek Gehenna
- James 3:10 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 12
Cross references
- James 3:1 : Matt. 23:8; [Rom. 2:20, 21; 1 Tim. 1:7]
- James 3:2 : 1 Kgs. 8:46; Prov. 20:9; Eccles. 7:20; 1 John 1:8
- James 3:2 : [Matt. 12:37]
- James 3:2 : See ch. 1:26
- James 3:3 : Ps. 32:9
- James 3:5 : [Ps. 12:3, 4; 73:8, 9]
- James 3:6 : Ps. 120:2-4; Prov. 16:27
- James 3:6 : Matt. 15:18
- James 3:8 : Ps. 140:3; Eccles. 10:11; Rom. 3:13
- James 3:9 : See Gen. 1:26
- James 3:13 : ch. 2:18
- James 3:13 : ch. 1:21
Test the Spirits
4Beloved, (A)do not believe every spirit, but (B)test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for (C)many (D)false prophets (E)have gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: (F)every spirit that confesses that (G)Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3and every spirit (H)that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and (I)now is in the world already. 4Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for (J)he who is in you is greater than (K)he who is in the world. 5(L)They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and (M)the world listens to them. 6We are from God. (N)Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know (O)the Spirit of truth and (P)the spirit of error.
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Cross references
- 1 John 4:1 : Jer. 29:8
- 1 John 4:1 : 1 Thess. 5:21; [1 Cor. 12:10; 14:29; Rev. 2:2]
- 1 John 4:1 : See ch. 2:18
- 1 John 4:1 : 2 Pet. 2:1
- 1 John 4:1 : 2 John 7
- 1 John 4:2 : [1 Cor. 12:3]
- 1 John 4:2 : 2 John 7
- 1 John 4:3 : ch. 2:22; 2 John 7
- 1 John 4:3 : ch. 2:18; [2 Thess. 2:3-7]
- 1 John 4:4 : See Rom. 8:31
- 1 John 4:4 : [1 Cor. 2:12]; See John 12:31
- 1 John 4:5 : John 3:31; 8:23
- 1 John 4:5 : John 15:19
- 1 John 4:6 : [John 8:47; 10:16; 18:37; 1 Cor. 14:37]
- 1 John 4:6 : John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13
- 1 John 4:6 : [1 Cor. 2:12; 1 Tim. 4:1]
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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