1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, since you know that we will be judged more severely.
2For we all stumble in many ways; if someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man who can bridle his whole body.
3If we put a bit into a horse's mouth to make it obey us, we control its whole body as well.
4And think of a ship - although it is huge and is driven by strong winds, yet the pilot can steer it wherever he wants with just a small rudder.
5So too the tongue is a tiny part of the body, yet it boasts great things. See how a little fire sets a whole forest ablaze!
6Yes, the tongue is a fire, a world of wickedness. The tongue is so placed in our body that it defiles every part of it, setting ablaze the whole of our life; and it is set on fire by Gei-Hinnom itself.
7For people have tamed and continue to tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures;
8but the tongue no one can tame - it is an unstable and evil thing, full of death-dealing poison!
9With it we bless ADONAI, the Father; and with it we curse people, who were made in the image of God.g
10Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing! Brothers, it isn't right for things to be this way.
11A spring doesn't send both fresh and bitter water from the same opening, does it?
12Can a fig tree yield olives, my brothers? or a grapevine, figs? Neither does salt water produce fresh.
13Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him demonstrate it by his good way of life, by actions done in the humility that grows out of wisdom.
14But if you harbor in your hearts bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, don't boast and attack the truth with lies!
15This wisdom is not the kind that comes down from above; on the contrary, it is worldly, unspiritual, demonic.
16For where there are jealousy and selfish ambition, there will be disharmony and every foul practice.
17But the wisdom from above is, first of all, pure, then peaceful, kind, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
18And peacemakers who sow seed in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.