Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
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The Tongue
1 My brothers, not many of you
should become teachers. As you
know, we teachers will be judged
with greater strictness than others.
2 All of us often make mistakes. But
if a person never makes a mistake in
what he says, he is perfect and is
also able to control his whole being. note
3 We put a bit into the mouth of a
horse to make it obey us, and we are
able to make it go where we want.
4 Or think of a ship: big as it is and
driven by such strong winds, it can
be steered by a very small rudder,
and it goes wherever the pilot wants
it to go.
5 So it is with the tongue:
small as it is, it can boast about
great things.
5 Just think how large a forest can
be set on fire by a tiny flame!
6 And
the tongue is like a fire. It is a world
of wrong, occupying its place in our
bodies and spreading evil through
our whole being. It sets on fire the
entire course of our existence with
the fire that comes to it from hell itself. note
7 Man is able to tame and has
tamed all other creatures—wild animals
and birds, reptiles and fish.
8 But no one has ever been able to
tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable,
full of deadly poison.
9 We use it to give thanks to our
Lord and Father and also to curse
our fellow-man, who is created in
the likeness of God. note
10 Words of
thanksgiving and cursing pour out
from the same mouth. My brothers,
this should not happen!
11 No spring
of water pours out sweet water and
-- --
bitter water from the same opening.
12 A fig tree, my brothers, cannot
bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear
figs, nor can a salty spring produce
sweet water.
The Wisdom from Above
13 Is there anyone among you who
is wise and understanding? He is to
prove it by his good life, by his good
deeds performed with humility and
wisdom. note
14 But if in your heart you
are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don't
sin against the truth by boasting of
your wisdom.
15 Such wisdom does
not come down from heaven; it belongs
to the world, it is unspiritual
and demonic.
16 Where there is jealousy
and selfishness, there is also
disorder and every kind of evil.
17 But the wisdom from above is pure
first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle,
and friendly; it is full of compassion
and produces a harvest of good
deeds; it is free from prejudice and
hypocrisy.
18 And goodness is the
harvest that is produced from the
seeds the peacemakers plant in
peace.
Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].
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