James 3

3.1 Only a few people should teach

Here James explains that being a teacher

is a very serious responsibility.

That is why only a few people should teach in church.

1 My dear friends, some people in church teach about God.

These people have a lot of responsibility.

When God judges all people, he will judge these people more strictly.

Because of this only a few people should teach in church.

3.2-12 Saying good words or bad words

Here James explains why you must say good things.

It is not right to say bad words against other people.

In the future, God will judge each one of your words.

2 We all make many mistakes.

If a person never says anything bad, that person is perfect.

That person is able to control his whole body.

3 For example:

A person can control a big horse.

How?

With a small piece of metal in its mouth.

Because of this, the horse obeys and goes where the rider wants it to go.

4 Another example:

Strong winds move big boats.

But the pilot is able to control the boat.

How? With a small piece of wood in the water at the back of the boat.

The boat is big and the piece of wood is small.

But it doesn’t matter.

The pilot can control the boat and make it go where he wants it to go.

5 Our tongue is small, just like that piece of wood and that piece of metal.

But the tongue speaks proudly.

For example:

The tongue is like a small match.

But a small match still can set lots of trees on fire.

6 Another example:

The tongue is like a fire.

This fire comes from the devil.

The tongue says a lot of bad words.

The tongue is only a small part of our body.

But it hurts all our body and ruins all our life.

7 People know how to control animals, like the animals of these 3 groups.

1. The animals of the air (for example, birds),

2. the animals of the earth (for example, horses) and

3. the animals of the sea (for example, fish).

8 But nobody knows how to control the tongue.

Nobody is able to control his own words.

Poison can kill a person.

But just like poison, the tongue (with bad words) can kill a person, too.

9 With that same tongue a person says good words to God, who is our Lord and Father.

But, also the person says bad words to other people.

(God created these people to be like him.)

10-12 My dear friends who love Jesus, you say good words to God and bad words to other people.

You must not do that.

I have some examples:

Does the same stream give both clean and dirty water?

Of course it doesn’t!

The water is either clean or dirty.

Does a fig tree produce olives?

Does a grape vine produce figs?

Of course they don’t!

It is the same with words.

Your words must be clean and good.

A person must not say good words to God and then say bad words to other people.