CONTOL THE TONGUE

1 MY brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

TRUE WISDOM COMES FROM GOD
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

1My brethren, bee not many masters, knowing that we shall receiue the greater condemnation.

2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3Behold, we put bittes in the horses mouthes, that they may obey vs, and we turne about their whole body.

4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driuen of fierce windes, yet are they turned about with a very small helme, whithersoeuer the gouernour listeth.

5Euen so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things: behold, how great a matter a litle fire kindleth.

6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquitie: so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell.

7For euery kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind.

8But the tongue can no man tame, it is an vnruly euill, ful of deadly poyson.

9Therewith blesse wee God, euen the Father: and therewith curse wee men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing: my brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11Doeth a fountaine send foorth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12Can þe figtree, my brethren, beare oliue berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountaine both yeeld salt water & fresh.

13Who is a wise man and indued with knowledge amongst you? let him shew out of a good conuersation his workes with meekenes of wisedome.

14But if ye haue bitter enuying and strife in your hearts glory not, and lie not against the trueth.

15This wisedome descendeth not from aboue, but is earthly, sensuall, deuilish.

16For where enuying and strife is, there is confusion, and euery euill worke.

17But the wisedome that is from aboue, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easie to be intreated, full of mercy, and good fruits, without partialitie, and without hypocrisie.

18And the fruit of righteousnesse is sowen in peace, of them that make peace.

I == Matt 23:8 , 14 ; Luke 6:37

II == 1st Kings 8:46 ; 2nd Chr 6:36 ; Ps 34:13 ; Pro 20:9 ; Eccl 7:20 ; Matt 12:37 ; James 1:26 ; 1st Peter 3:10 ; 1st John 1:6

III == Ps 32:9

V == Ps 12:3 ; 73:8-9 ; Prov 12:18 ; 15:2

VI == Prov 16:27 ; Matt 15:11 ; 18:20 ; Mark 7:15 , , 20 , 23

VIII == Ps 140:3

XIV == Rom 2:17 , 23 ; 13:13

XV == Phil 3:19

XVI == 1st Cor 3:3 ; Gal 5:20

XVII == 1st Peter 1:22 ; 2:1 ; 1st John 3:18

XVIII == Prov 11:18 ; Hos 10:12 ; Matt 5:9

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly, 2 for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide their whole bodies. 4 It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot's inclination wishes. 5 In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions. Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze. 6 The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers. 11 Does a spring gush forth from the same opening both pure and brackish water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can salt water yield fresh. 13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.

v 1. This is not telling us to avoid teaching, but points out the high responsibility we have. I don’t believe I have effectively taught my Sunday School class unless  a change is effected in the lives of my pupils. Even in public school, teachers can be a mighty force for good or evil. We assume greater accountability and likewise greater condemnation for failure. Don’t  give a novice a class to teach so he will keep coming.
v 2. Mt. 12:37, By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Teachers must discipline themselves not to make rash statements or display temper by snapping at the kids and bawling them out before others. This is not mere self control, but the product of faith, love and the indwelling Holy Spirit. If one can control their tongue, we may assume they can control other areas of their lives.
v 3-5. Here are three analogies of how small things can exert great effect. A small piece of metal in a horse’s mouth can turn it, by one hand on a rudder one can control a ship, and one spark can ignite a fire that will cause millions of dollars of damage. So an idle word may flame into gossip which will do great, irrevocable harm.
v 6. The tongue is not like fire but is fire, ignited by the devil, and reaping destruction on others as well as our own personalities and natures.
v 7,8. In contrast to how creatures in a circus or seaquarium have been tamed, the tongue, with it’s evil mouth piece of Satan, can only be tamed by the grace of God.
v 9,10. The tongue itself is neutral, but it can be used to glorify God and do much good, or be a tool of Satan for destruction. This is inconsistent and wrong. Cursing would include the minced oaths, gee, golly, gosh etc. Jesus said, swear not at all. Mt. 5.
v 11,12. A spring may produce bitter mineral water or good clear water, but not both. Neither in the nature of plants do we see such contradiction, and should not hear Christians saying helpful words with their mouths, then swearing and evil talking.
v 13. This perhaps goes back to verse one and capability of teachers. It is good to have knowledge, better to be able to use it rightly, doing good works with humbleness.
v 14-16. Have no pride in wisdom expressed by our tongue in bitterness, strife and sensuality, because it is not from above, but instigated by Satan. 
v 17,18. In contrast, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, Prov. 9:10, and this wisdom results in good works and a cleansed tongue. That person is caring, uncritical and forgiving. He figuratively plants the seeds that produce righteousness and peace.