James 3–5

Controlling the Tongue

3Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment, ^k2for we all stumble in many ways. ^lIf anyone does not stumble in what he says, ^mhe is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body. ^no

³Now when we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, ^pwe also guide the whole animal. ^q4And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. ^rConsider how large a forest a small fire ignites. ⁶And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, ^ssets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell.

⁷Every sea creature, reptile, bird, or animal is tamed and has been tamed by man, ⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ^t9We praise our ^uLord and Father with it, and we curse men who are made in God’s likeness with it. ^v10Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things should not be this way. ¹¹Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? ¹²Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.

The Wisdom from Above

¹³Who is wise and has understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness. ^w14But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t brag and deny the truth. ^x15Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ^y16For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil. ¹⁷But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy. ^z18And the fruit of righteousness ^ais sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.

Proud or Humble

4What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings ^bthat are at war within you? ^c2You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask. ³You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires. ^d

⁴Adulteresses! ^efDon’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy. ^g5Or do you think it’s without reason the Scripture says that the Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously? ^hi

⁶But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says:

God resists the proud,

but gives grace to the humble. ^jk

⁷Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. ^l8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people! ^m9Be miserable and mourn and weep. Your laughter must change to mourning and your joy to sorrow. ⁿ¹⁰Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

¹¹Don’t criticize one another, brothers. He who criticizes a brother or judges his brother criticizes the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. ^o12There is one lawgiver and judge ^pwho is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? ^q

Our Will and His Will

¹³Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” ^r14You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes. ^s

¹⁵Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. ^t17So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it. ^u

Warning to the Rich

5Come now, you rich ^vpeople! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you. ²Your wealth is ruined and your clothes are moth-eaten. ^w3Your silver and gold are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You stored up treasure in the last days! ^x4Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers ^ywho reaped your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. ^za5You have lived luxuriously on the land and have indulged yourselves. You have fattened your hearts ^bfor ^cthe day of slaughter. ^d6You have condemned—you have murdered—the righteous man; he does not resist you. ^e

Waiting for the Lord

⁷Therefore, brothers, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. ^f8You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. ^g

⁹Brothers, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door! ^h

¹⁰Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name as an example of suffering and patience. ¹¹See, we count as blessed those who have endured. ⁱYou have heard of Job’s endurance ^jand have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is very compassionate and merciful. ^k

Truthful Speech

¹²Now above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. ^lYour “yes” must be “yes,” and your “no” must be “no,” so that you won’t fall under judgment. ^m

Effective Prayer

¹³Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. ⁿ¹⁴Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. ^o15The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will restore him to health; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ^p16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. ^q17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; yet he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. ^r18Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit. ^s

¹⁹My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth, ^tand someone turns him back, ^u20let him know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from death and cover a multitude of sins. ^v