New American Standard Bible 1995

James 3

The Tongue Is a Fire

1Let not manyπολλοὶpolloiG4183of youbecomeγίνεσθε,ginestheG1096teachersδιδάσκαλοιdidaskaloiG1320,my brethrenἀδελφοίadelphoiG80,knowingG3609that as such we will incurλημψόμεθα.lēmpsomethaG2983astricterμεῖζονmeizonG3173judgmentκρίμαkrimaG2917.

2For we allἅπαντες·hapantesG537stumbleπταίομενptaiomenG4417in manyπολλὰpollaG4183ways.IfεἴeiG1487anyoneτιςtisG5100does not stumbleπταίει,ptaieiG4417inwhatG3056he saysG3056, he is aperfectτέλειοςteleiosG5046manἀνήρ,anērG435,ableδυνατὸςdunatosG1415tobridleχαλιναγωγῆσαιchalinagōgēsaiG5468the wholeὅλονholonG3650bodyσῶμα.¶sōmaG4983as wellκαὶkaiG2532.

3NowδὲdeG1161ifΕἰEiG1487we putβάλλομενballomenG906the bitsχαλινοὺςchalinousG5469into the horses’ἵππωνippōnG2462mouthsστόματαstomataG4750soG1519that they will obeyπείθεσθαιpeithesthaiG3982us, we directμετάγομεν.metagomenG3329their entireὅλονholonG3650bodyσῶμαsōmaG4983as wellκαὶkaiG2532.

4LookἰδοὺidouG2400at the shipsπλοῖα,ploiaG4143alsoG2532,though they are soG5082greatτηλικαῦταtēlikautaG5082and are drivenἐλαυνόμενα,elaunomenaG1643by strongσκληρῶνsklērōnG4642windsἀνέμωνanemōnG417,are still directedμετάγεταιmetagetaiG3329by a veryἐλαχίστουelachistouG1646smallG1646rudderπηδαλίουpēdaliouG4079whereverὅπουhopouG3699the inclinationὁρμὴhormēG3730of the pilotεὐθύνοντοςeuthunontosG2116desiresβούλεται.¶bouletaiG1014.

5SoΟὕτωςHoutōsG3779alsoG2532the tongueγλῶσσαglōssaG1100is a smallμικρὸνmikronG3398partμέλοςmelosG3196of the body, and yet itboastsG850of greatG3173thingsμεγάλαmegalaG3173.SeeἰδοὺidouG2400howG2245greatG2245a forestὕληνhulēnG5208is setG381aflameG381by suchG2245a smallG2245fireπῦρpurG4442!

6Andthe tongueγλῶσσαglōssaG1100is a fireπῦρ,purG4442, the veryworldκόσμοςkosmosG2889of iniquityἀδικίαςadikiasG93;the tongueγλῶσσαglōssaG1100is setκαθίσταταιkathistataiG2525amongἐνenG1722our membersμέλεσινmelesinG3196as that whichdefilesσπιλοῦσαspilousaG4695the entireὅλονholonG3650bodyσῶμαsōmaG4983,and setsG5394on fireφλογίζουσαphlogizousaG5394the courseτροχὸνtrochonG5164of ourlifeγενέσεωςgeneseōsG1078,and is setG5394on fireφλογιζομένηphlogizomenēG5394byhellγεέννης.¶geennēsG1067.

7For everyΠᾶσαPasaG3956speciesφύσιςphusisG5449of beastsθηρίωνthēriōnG2342and birdsπετεινῶν,peteinōnG4071,of reptilesἑρπετῶνherpetōnG2062and creaturesG1724of the seaG1724,is tamedδαμάζεταιdamazetaiG1150and has been tamedδεδάμασταιdedamastaiG1150by the humanἀνθρωπίνῃ·anthrōpinēG442raceφύσειphuseiG5449.

8But noG3762oneοὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων·oudeis anthrōpōnG3762 G444canδύναταιdunataiG1410tameδαμάσαιdamasaiG1150the tongueγλῶσσανglōssanG1100; it isa restlessἀκατάστατονakatastatonG182evilκακόν,kakonG2556andfullμεστὴmestēG3324ofdeadlyθανατηφόρου.thanatēphorouG2287poisonἰοῦiouG2447.

9With it we blessεὐλογοῦμενeulogoumenG2127ourLordκύριονkurionG2962and FatherπατέραpateraG3962,and with it we curseκαταρώμεθαkatarōmethaG2672menἀνθρώπουςanthrōpousG444,who have beenG1096madeG1096in the likenessὁμοίωσινhomoiōsinG3669of GodθεοῦtheouG2316;

10from the sameαὐτοῦautouG846mouthστόματοςstomatosG4750comeἐξέρχεταιexerchetaiG1831bothblessingεὐλογίαeulogiaG2129and cursingκατάρα.kataraG2671.My brethrenἀδελφοίadelphoiG80,theseG3778thingsταῦταtautaG3778oughtχρή,chrēG5534not to be thisG3779wayG3779.

11Does a fountainπηγὴpēgēG4077sendβρύειbrueiG1032out from the sameαὐτῆςautēsG846openingὀπῆςopēsG3692bothfreshγλυκὺglukuG1099and bitterπικρόν;pikronG4089water?

12Canδύναται,dunataiG1410a figσυκῆsukēG4808treeG4808,my brethrenἀδελφοίadelphoiG80,produceποιῆσαιpoiēsaiG4160olivesἐλαίαςelaiasG1636,orἢēG2228a vineἄμπελοςampelosG288produceποιῆσαιpoiēsaiG4160figsσῦκα;sukaG4810?NorοὔτεouteG3777cansaltἁλυκὸνhalukonG252waterὕδωρ.¶hudōrG5204produceG4160freshγλυκὺglukuG1099.

Wisdom from Above

13WhoΤίςTisG5101amongG1722you is wiseσοφὸςsophosG4680and understandingἐπιστήμωνepistēmōnG1990?Let him showδειξάτωdeixatōG1166by hisgoodκαλῆςkalēsG2570behaviorἀναστροφῆςanastrophēsG391his deedsἔργαergaG2041in the gentlenessG4240of wisdomσοφίας.sophiasG4678.

14But ifεἰeiG1487you haveἔχετεecheteG2192bitterπικρὸνpikronG4089jealousyζῆλονzēlonG2205andselfishG2052ambitionG2052in your heartκαρδίᾳkardiaG2588,do not be arrogantκατακαυχᾶσθεkatakauchastheG2620and solieψεύδεσθεpseudestheG5574againstκατὰkataG2596the truthἀληθείας.alētheiasG225.

15ThisαὕτηhautēG3778wisdomσοφίαsophiaG4678is not that which comesG2718downκατερχομένη,katerchomenēG2718from aboveἄνωθενanōthenG509, but isearthlyἐπίγειοςepigeiosG1919,naturalψυχικὴpsuchikēG5591,demonicδαιμονιώδης.daimoniōdēsG1141.

16For whereὅπουhopouG3699jealousyζῆλοςzēlosG2205andselfishG2052ambitionG2052exist,thereἐκεῖekeiG1563is disorderἀκαταστασίαakatastasiaG181and everyπᾶνpanG3956evilφαῦλονphaulonG5337thingπρᾶγμα.¶pragmaG4229.

17But the wisdomσοφίαsophiaG4678from aboveἄνωθενanōthenG509is firstπρῶτονprōtonG4413pureἁγνήhagnēG53,thenἔπειταepeitaG1899peaceableεἰρηνική,eirēnikēG1516,gentleἐπιεικής,epieikēsG1933,reasonableεὐπειθής,eupeithēsG2138,fullμεστὴmestēG3324of mercyἐλέουςeleousG1656and goodἀγαθῶν,agathōnG18fruitsκαρπῶνkarpōnG2590,unwaveringἀδιάκριτος,adiakritosG87,withoutG505hypocrisyG505.

18And theseed whose fruitκαρπὸςkarposG2590is righteousnessδικαιοσύνηςdikaiosunēsG1343is sownσπείρεταιspeiretaiG4687in peaceεἰρήνῃeirēnēG1515by thoseτοῖςtoisG3588who makeποιοῦσινpoiousinG4160peaceεἰρήνην.¶eirēnēnG1515.

The Tongue Is a Fire

Wisdom from Above

Commentaries on James 3