James 3:6-12

New Life Version

⁶ The tongue is a fire. It is full of wrong. It poisons the whole body. The tongue sets our whole lives on fire with a fire that comes from hell. ⁷ Men can make all kinds of animals and birds and fish and snakes do what they want them to do. ⁸ But no man can make his tongue say what he wants it to say. It is sinful and does not rest. It is full of poison that kills. ⁹ With our tongue we give thanks to our Father in heaven. And with our tongue we speak bad words against men who are made like God. ¹⁰ Giving thanks and speaking bad words come from the same mouth. My Christian brothers, this is not right! ¹¹ Does a well of water give good water and bad water from the same place? ¹² Can a fig tree give olives or can a grape-vine give figs? A well does not give both good water and bad water.