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Summary

James 3:1–12 – The tongue’s power

What happens: Not many should become teachers, for we all stumble. Small bits guide horses and rudders steer ships; so the tongue is small but powerful. It can set a forest ablaze and is full of deadly poison. With it we bless God and curse people made in His image. This inconsistency should not be.

What it means: God calls for holy speech because words reveal the heart and can harm or heal. The principle is self-control and reverence for God’s image in others.

James 3:13–18 – Two kinds of wisdom

What happens: True wisdom shows in good conduct with meekness. Bitter envy and selfish ambition are earthly, unspiritual, demonic, producing disorder. Wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers sow righteousness.

What it means: God’s wisdom reflects His pure and peace-making character. The principle is to seek heaven’s wisdom that produces harmony and righteousness rather than strife.

Application

  • Confess harmful words and practice blessing others.
  • Pursue meek wisdom: be gentle, reasonable, and impartial.
  • Become a peacemaker who plants righteousness through your speech.

Bible

1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

13Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

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