James 3

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¹Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment. ✦ ²For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to rein in the whole body as well. ✦ ³Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their whole body as well. ✦ ⁴Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines. ✦ ⁵So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! ✦ ⁶And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. ✦ ⁷For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. ✦ ⁸But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ✦ ⁹With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, who have been made in the likeness of God; ✦ ¹⁰from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. ✦ ¹¹Does a spring send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? ¹²Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. ✦ ¹³Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. ✦ ¹⁴But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. ✦ ¹⁵This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. ✦ ¹⁶For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. ✦ ¹⁷But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. ✦ ¹⁸And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. ✦

Tap any verse for its study page. Underlined terms mark a concept, person, or place; ✦ marks verses with cross-references.

Where this chapter connects

Jas 1 ·9 Jas 3 ·8 Gal 5 ·7 1 Pet 3 ·5 Matt 5 ·5 1 Cor 3 ·5 1 Pet 2 ·4 1 Jn 3 ·4

Christ at the center

The wisdom from above and the royal law of love are the life of those who belong to 'our glorious Lord Jesus Christ' — faith in him made visible in works.

How James 3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Resources, by level

Lay

★ Start hereAudioThrough the WordThrough the Word · ~10 min/chapter · Free · evangelical
A clear ~10-minute audio teaching for every one of the Bible's 1,189 chapters — the most systematic free way to study chapter by chapter.

Pastoral

SermonChuck Smith — C2000 SeriesChuck Smith · Free · evangelical
Free verse-by-verse audio through the entire Bible from the founder of Calvary Chapel.

Commentaries & study tools

VideoBibleProject — James videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
VideoWatch teaching on James 3YouTube · Lay · Free
Sermons and chapter teaching from across YouTube.
CommentaryEnduring Word — James 3David Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical
Readable, verse-by-verse exposition of the whole chapter.
CommentaryMatthew Henry on JamesMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
ReferenceBlue Letter Bible — James 3Blue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free
Interlinear, lexicon, and study tools across the chapter.

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