Limitless Word

James 3

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📖 James introduction

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1Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment. ✦ 2For in many things we all stumble. If anyone doesn’t stumble in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. ✦ 3Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body. ✦ 4Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires. ✦ 5So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest! ✦ 6And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna. ✦ 7For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind; ✦ 8but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ✦ 9With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God. ✦ 10Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. ✦ 11Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water. ✦ 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom. ✦ 14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. ✦ 15This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. ✦ 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. ✦ 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, 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 ·9Jas 3 ·8Gal 5 ·71 Pet 3 ·5Matt 5 ·51 Cor 3 ·51 Pet 2 ·41 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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