James 3–4

3Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment. ²For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. ³Now if we put the horses’ bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. ⁴Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth. ⁵So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! ⁶And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell. ⁷For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind: ⁸but the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison. ⁹Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God: ¹⁰out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. ¹¹Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter? ¹²Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? neither can salt water yield sweet.

¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth. ¹⁵This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. ¹⁶For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed. ¹⁷But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. ¹⁸And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.

4Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members? ²Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not. ³Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures. ⁴Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. ⁵Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying? ⁶But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. ⁷Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. ⁹Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. ¹⁰Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.

¹¹Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. ¹²One only is the lawgiver and judge, even he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor?

¹³Come now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: ¹⁴whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. ¹⁵For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that. ¹⁶But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil. ¹⁷To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.