James 3:8-12

8But no person can rule his tongue. It continues to say bad things. It is like a bad poison that can cause death.

9We use our tongue to praise the Lord God who is our Father. But then we use it to curse other people. That is wrong, because God made those people to be like himself.

10This shows that we use the same mouth to praise and also to curse. My Christian friends, we should not do this.

11Salty water and sweet water never come from the same spring.

12A fig tree cannot give olives, my friends. A vine for grapes cannot give figs. And a salty spring cannot give sweet water.