James 3

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¹My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. ✦ ²For 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. ✦ ³Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. ✦ ⁴Look 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. ✦ ⁵Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ✦ ⁶And 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. ✦ ⁷For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ✦ ⁸But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ✦ ⁹With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ✦ ¹⁰Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ✦ ¹¹Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹²Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. ✦ ¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ✦ ¹⁴But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ✦ ¹⁵This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ✦ ¹⁶For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ✦ ¹⁷But 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. ✦ ¹⁸Now 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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