1 cMatt. 23:8; [Rom. 2:20, 21; 1 Tim. 1:7] Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 Ford1 Kgs. 8:46; Prov. 20:9; Eccles. 7:20; 1 John 1:8 we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says,e[Matt. 12:37] he is a perfect man,fSee ch. 1:26 able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we putgPs. 32:9 bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yeth[Ps. 12:3, 4; 73:8, 9] it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 AndiPs. 120:2-4; Prov. 16:27 the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members,jMatt. 15:18 staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,1Or wheel of birth and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil,kPs. 140:3; Eccles. 10:11; Rom. 3:13 full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse peoplelSee Gen. 1:26 who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you?mch. 2:18 By his good conduct let him show his worksnch. 1:21 in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitterover. 16; Acts 5:17; Rom. 2:8; 2 Cor. 12:20; Gal. 5:20; Phil. 1:17; 2:3; [Rom. 13:13] jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is notpch. 1:17 the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual,q[1 Kgs. 22:22; 2 Thess. 2:9, 10; 1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 2:24] demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 Butr[1 Cor. 2:6, 7] the wisdom from above is first pure, thensHeb. 12:11 peaceable, gentle, open to reason,t[Luke 6:36] full of mercy and good fruits,uch. 2:4 (Gk.) impartial andvRom. 12:9 sincere. 18 AndwProv. 11:18; Isa. 32:17; Hos. 10:12; Amos 6:12; Phil. 1:11 a harvest of righteousnessxMatt. 5:9; Gal. 6:7, 8 is sown in peace by those who make peace.