1 ^3:1BE not many of you teachers, my brothers, knowing that we shall receive a severer judgment. ^3:2For in many things we all offend; if one offends not in word he is a perfect man, able to keep in subjection also the whole body. ^3:3But we put bits into the mouths of horses that they may obey us, and direct their whole body; ^3:4behold also the ships, though of so great size and driven by powerful winds, are directed by a very small helm wherever the will of the pilot chooses; ^3:5so also the tongue is a small member and boasts of great things. Behold, how much wood a little fire kindles! ^3:6And the tongue is a fire, the tongue is made a world of wickedness among our members, it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature and is set on fire by hell. ^3:7For every kind of beasts, and birds, and reptiles, and fishes, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race, ^3:8but the tongue can no man tame; it is a disorderly evil, full of a deadly poison. ^3:9With it bless we the Lord and Father, and with it curse we men made in the likeness of God. ^3:10Out of the same mouth proceeds a blessing and a curse. My brothers, these things ought not so to be. ^3:11Does a fountain send forth sweet water and bitter from the same opening? ^3:12Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a vine, figs? So you cannot make salt water sweet.

2 ^3:13What wise and intelligent man is there among you? Let him show his works by good conduct, in the meekness of wisdom. ^3:14But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, boast not and lie not against the truth. ^3:15This wisdom comes not from above, but is earthly, natural, demoniacal. ^3:16For where envy and strife are, there are disorder and every evil work. ^3:17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be persuaded, full of mercy and of good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy. ^3:18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace to those who make peace.

3 ^4:1Whence come wars and contentions among you? Come they not thence, from your pleasures that war in your members? ^4:2You desire and have not; you kill, and envy, and cannot obtain; you fight and carry on war. You have not, because you do not ask; ^4:3you ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, to expend on your pleasures. ^4:4Adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity against God? Whoever therefore wishes to be a friend of the world, is made an enemy of God. ^4:5Or do you suppose that the Scripture says in vain, The spirit which dwells in us desires to envy? ^4:6But he gives more grace; wherefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. ^4:7Be subject therefore to God; resist the devil and he will flee from you; ^4:8draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, purify your hearts, double-minded. ^4:9Lament, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into sorrow. ^4:10Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.

4 ^4:11Speak not one against one another, brothers. He that speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law you are not a doer of the law, but a judge. ^4:12There is one law-giver and judge, who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you that judge a neighbor?

5 ^4:13Come now, you that say, To-day and to-morrow we will go to such a city and engage in business there a year, and trade and make profits, ^4:14who know not what will be on the morrow; for what is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes away; ^4:15for you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall both live and do this or that. ^4:16But now you glory in your boasting; all such glorying is evil. ^4:17He therefore that knows how to do good and does it not, to him it is sin.

6 ^5:1Come now, rich men, weep and lament for the miseries which are coming upon you. ^5:2Your riches have decayed, and your garments are moth-eaten, ^5:3your gold and silver are destroyed with rust, and their rust will be a witness against you, and consume your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasures for the last days. ^5:4Behold, the wages of the laborers who harvested your fields, kept back by you, cry, and the loud calls of the reapers have entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. ^5:5You have lived in luxury on the earth and in pleasure, you have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter. ^5:6You have condemned and killed the just, and he does not resist you.

7 ^5:7Wait patiently therefore, brothers, till the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and is of long patience, till he receives the autumnal and vernal rain. ^5:8Do you also have long patience, confirm your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. ^5:9Complain not, brothers, against one another, that you be not judged; behold, the judge stands before the doors. ^5:10You have the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord, my brothers, as an example of patience and long-suffering. ^5:11Behold, we account them blessed who are patient. You have heard of the patience of Job, and you know the purpose of the Lord, that he is very merciful and compassionate.

8 ^5:12Above all things, my brothers, swear not, neither by heaven, nor the earth, nor any other oath. But let your yes be yes, and your no, no, that you may not fall under condemnation.

9 ^5:13If any one among you is afflicted, let him pray; if any one is happy, let him sing psalms; ^5:14if any one is sick among you, let him send for the elders of the church, and let them pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ^5:15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. ^5:16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be cured, for the prayer of the righteous operates with great power. ^5:17Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed that it might not rain, and it rained not on the land for three years and six months; ^5:18and again he prayed, and heaven gave rain, and the earth yielded her fruit.

10 ^5:19Brothers, if any one among you errs from the truth, and one converts him, ^5:20let him know that he who converts a sinner from an error of [his] way, shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins.