Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive {Greek: greater.}heavier judgment.
For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.
Now if we put the horses' bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also.
Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth.
So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, {Or, how great a forest}how much wood is kindled by how small a fire!
And the tongue is {Or, a fire, that world of iniquity: the tongue is among our members that which &c.}a fire: the {Or, that world of iniquity: the tongue, is among our members that which &c.}world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of {Or, birth}nature, and is set on fire by {Greek: Gehenna.}hell.
For every {Greek: nature.}kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed {Or, unto}by {Greek: the human nature.}mankind:
but the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison.
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God:
out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter?
Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? neither can salt water yield sweet.
Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, {Or, natural Or, animal}sensual, {Greek: demoniacal.}devilish.
For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without {Or, doubtfulness Or, partiality}variance, without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace {Or, by}for them that make peace.
Querverweise zu Jakobus 3,2 Jak 3,2
If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that {Hebrew: they that take captive carry them away.}they carry them away captive unto the land of the enemy, far off or near;
So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, {Or, how great a forest}how much wood is kindled by how small a fire!
And let {Or, stedfastness}patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.
but I {Greek: bruise. Luke 18:5.}buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I {Or, have been a herald}have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.
If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that {Hebrew: they that take them captive carry them away.}they carry them away captive unto a land far off or near;
And the tongue is {Or, a fire, that world of iniquity: the tongue is among our members that which &c.}a fire: the {Or, that world of iniquity: the tongue, is among our members that which &c.}world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of {Or, birth}nature, and is set on fire by {Greek: Gehenna.}hell.
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Who can say, I have made my heart clean,I am pure from my sin?
If any man {Or, seemeth to be}thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain.
whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ;
{Or, For}Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Keep thy tongue from evil,And thy lips from speaking guile.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a {Greek: bondservant.}servant of Christ Jesus, saluteth you, always striving for you in his prayers, that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
For we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment: and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life;But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
make you perfect in every good {Many ancient authorities read work.}thing to do his will, working in {Many ancient authorities read you.}us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory {Greek: unto the ages of the ages.}for ever and ever. Amen.
as it is written, {Psalm 14:1 ff.; 53:1 ff}There is none righteous, no, not one;
For, {Psalm 34:12 ff.}He that would love life,And see good days,Let him refrain his tongue from evil,And his lips that they speak no guile:
And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself {Or, restore}perfect, establish, strengthen {Many ancient authorities add settle.} you.
I find then {Or, in regard of the law Compare verse 12, 14.}the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present.
But the scripture shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.