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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
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Commentary & Explanation
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Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
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CHAPTER 3
By governing the tongue we gain perfection—Heavenly wisdom is pure,
peaceable, and full of mercy.
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1 MY brethren, abe not many
bmasters, knowing that we shall creceive
the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we aoffend all.
If any man boffend not in cword, the same
is a dperfect man, and able also to bridle
the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
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4 Behold also the ships, which though they
be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned
about with a very small helm, whithersoever the agovernor
listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and
aboasteth great things. Behold, how great a
bmatter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the atongue is a
fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it
defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is
set on fire of hell.
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7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the atongue can no man
tame; it is an bunruly evil, full of deadly
poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and
therewith acurse we men, which are made after the
asimilitude of God.[?]
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10 Out of the same amouth
proceedeth blessing and
cursing.[?]a
My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a afountain send
forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
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10a Out of the same mouth
proceedeth blessing and cursing.[?] The
writing of the old language had no such modern punctuation. Therefore it was
left to the more modern translator to suggest what that punctuation ought to
be. Many statements and sentences written without definitive punctuation may
be so read from an interpretive perspective of just how it was orignially
spoken, with the inflection of a mere statement of fact or as a statement of
fact formed in a questioning manner. James does give a statement of fact that
the same mouth does yield blessing and cursing and then he states 'these things
ought not to so be'. Note that if the first statement is presumed as a
questioning statement of fact, the hearer or reader is left to have first
concluded of themselves what James next states and is far more effective in
its communication of the fact that 'such ought not to be'.
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13 Who is a wise man and endued with
knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good
aconversation his works with bmeekness of
wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and
astrife in your hearts, bglory not, and
lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
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16 For where aenvying and
bstrife is, there is confusion and every evil
work.
17 But the awisdom that is
from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and
beasy to be intreated, full of cmercy and
good fruits, without partiality, and without dhypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of
arighteousness is sown in bpeace of them
that make cpeace.
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