
1 Only a few of you, my brothers, should be teachers, bearing in mind that we shall receive a stricter judgement. Luke 12:47-48 1Cor 12:28 1Pet 5:3 Matt 23:13 1Cor 11:29-32 1Tim 1:7 1Tim 2:7 2 For we all trip up in many ways. Someone who does not trip up in speech has reached perfection and is able to keep the whole body on a tight rein. 1Pet 3:10 Jas 1:26 Matt 12:37 Prov 13:3 Jas 3:5-6 1Kgs 8:46 Jas 1:4 3 Once we put a bit in the horse's mouth, to make it do what we want, we have the whole animal under our control. Ps 32:9 Jas 1:26 Ps 39:1 2Kgs 19:28 Isa 37:29 4 Or think of ships: no matter how big they are, even if a gale is driving them, they are directed by a tiny rudder wherever the whim of the helmsman decides. Ps 107:25-27 Acts 27:14-38 Jonah 1:4 Matt 8:24 5 So the tongue is only a tiny part of the body, but its boasts are great. Think how small a flame can set fire to a huge forest; Jer 9:3-8 Ps 17:10 Ps 52:1-2 Ps 73:8-9 Prov 18:21 Prov 15:2 Ezek 28:2 6 The tongue is a flame too. Among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a whole wicked world: it infects the whole body; catching fire itself from hell, it sets fire to the whole wheel of creation. Ps 120:2-3 Prov 16:27 Mark 7:15 Mark 7:20-22 Prov 15:1 Matt 15:11-20 Col 3:8-9 7 Wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish of every kind can all be tamed, and have been tamed, by humans; Mark 5:4 8 but nobody can tame the tongue -- it is a pest that will not keep still, full of deadly poison. Rom 3:13 Ps 140:3 Jas 3:6 Ps 55:21 Eccl 10:11 Ps 57:4 Ps 59:7 9 We use it to bless the Lord and Father, but we also use it to curse people who are made in God's image: 1Cor 11:7 Eccl 7:22 Matt 26:74 Ps 59:12 2Sam 19:21 Gen 1:26-27 Matt 5:44 10 the blessing and curse come out of the same mouth. My brothers, this must be wrong- 1Pet 3:9 Rom 12:14 1Cor 3:3 Jer 7:4-10 Ps 50:16-20 1Tim 5:13 2Sam 13:12 11 does any water supply give a flow of fresh water and salt water out of the same pipe?
12 Can a fig tree yield olives, my brothers, or a vine yield figs? No more can sea water yield fresh water. Luke 6:43-44 Jer 2:21 Matt 7:16-20 Isa 5:2-4 Matt 12:33 Rom 11:16-18 2Kgs 2:19-22 13 Anyone who is wise or understanding among you should from a good life give evidence of deeds done in the gentleness of wisdom. Jas 3:17 Gal 5:23 Matt 5:5 1Pet 2:12 2Tim 2:25 Col 3:12 Jas 2:18 14 But if at heart you have the bitterness of jealousy, or selfish ambition, do not be boastful or hide the truth with lies; Jas 3:16 1Cor 13:4 Phil 2:3 1Cor 3:3 2Cor 12:20 Rom 13:13 Jas 5:19 15 this is not the wisdom that comes from above, but earthly, human and devilish. Jas 1:17 Jas 3:17 1Cor 2:14 1Cor 3:19 Jas 1:5 Phil 3:19 2Cor 1:12 16 Wherever there are jealousy and ambition, there are also disharmony and wickedness of every kind; Jas 3:14 1Cor 3:3 1John 3:12 Gal 5:20 1Cor 14:33 Gen 11:9 Acts 19:29 17 whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it is also peaceable, kindly and considerate; it is full of mercy and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it. Jas 1:17 Rom 12:9 Gal 5:22-23 Jas 1:5 1Cor 2:6-7 1Cor 13:4-7 Jas 3:15 18 The peace sown by peacemakers brings a harvest of justice. Matt 5:9 Isa 32:16-17 Phil 1:11 Gal 6:8 Hos 10:12 Prov 11:30 Heb 12:11 |