| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. | 1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. |
| 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. | 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body. |
| 3We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. | 3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal. |
| 4And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. | 4Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined. |
| 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. | 5In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. |
| 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. | 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. |
| 7People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, | 7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, |
| 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. | 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. |
| 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. | 9With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. |
| 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! | 10Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! |
| 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? | 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? |
| 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 | 12My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. |
| 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. | 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. |
| 14But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. | 14But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. |
| 15For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. | 15Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. |
| 16For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. | 16For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice. |
| 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. | 17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. |
| 18And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. | 18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness. |
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