| New International Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. | 1Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. |
| 2We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. | 2Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. |
| 3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. | 3We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. |
| 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. | 4And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. |
| 5Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. | 5In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. |
| 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. | 6And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. |
| 7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, | 7People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, |
| 8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. | 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. |
| 9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. | 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. |
| 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. | 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! |
| 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? | 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? |
| 12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. | 12Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. True Wisdom Comes from God |
| 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. | 13If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. |
| 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. | 14But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. |
| 15Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. | 15For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. |
| 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. | 16For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. |
| 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. | 17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. |
| 18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. | 18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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