The Fire No One Can Tame
Teachers face stricter judgment, and the reason is the tongue: a rudder, a spark, a poison no one tames. The same mouth blesses our Father and curses people made in his likeness. Real wisdom shows up as peaceable, merciful conduct, not bitter ambition.
3 1My brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers, since we teachers face stricter judgment. 2For we all stumble in many ways. Anyone who never stumbles in speech is a mature man, able to control his whole body too. 3If we put bits in horses' mouths to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies too. 4Consider ships too: though large and driven by strong winds, a tiny rudder steers them wherever the pilot wants. 5So too the tongue is a small body part, yet boasts great things. See how small a fire sets ablaze a great forest! 6The tongue is a fire, a world of wickedness placed among our body's parts. It stains the whole body, sets the whole course of life ablaze, and is itself set ablaze by hell. a a v6 Gehenna was the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, a place of burning refuse that became a picture of final judgment — here, hell itself. 7Every kind of beast, bird, reptile, and sea creature is tamed, and has been tamed, by humankind, 8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our Father; with it we curse people made in the likeness of our Father. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11Does a spring pour out both fresh and bitter water from the same opening? 12Brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a vine figs? Neither can a salt spring yield fresh water.
Wisdom From Above
13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show his deeds through good conduct, in wisdom's humility. 14But if bitter envy and selfish ambition fill your heart, don't boast or lie against the truth. 15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17Wisdom from above: pure first, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unbiased, sincere. 18And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
