James 3 NLT

Outline

I.                  Greetings (1:1)

                               II.         Trials and Temptations (1:2-18)

A.    The Testing of Faith (1:2-12)

B.    The Source of Temptation (1:13-18)

                                               III.         Listening and Doing (1:19-27)

                             IV.         Favoritism Forbidden (2:1-13)

                              V.         Faith and Deeds (2:14-26)

                             VI.         Taming the Tongue (3:1-12)

                           VII.         Two Kinds of Wisdom (3:13-18)

                          VIII.         Warning against Worldliness (ch. 4)

 .      Quarrelsomeness (4:1-3)

A.    Spiritual Unfaithfulness (4:4)

B.    Pride (4:5-10)

C.    Slander (4:11-12)

D.    Boasting (4:13-17)

IX.         Warning to Rich Oppressors (5:1-6)

                              X.         Miscellaneous Exhortations (5:7-20)

 .      Concerning Patience in Suffering (5:7-11)

A.    Concerning Oaths (5:12)

B.    Concerning the Prayer of Faith (5:13-18)

C.    Concerning Those Who Wander from the Truth (5:19-20)

James 3 NLT

1 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 

2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 

3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 

4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 

5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 

6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 

7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 

8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 

9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 

10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 

11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 

12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. 

13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 

14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 

15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 

16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 

18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

Proverbs 30 NLT

1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh contain this message. I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God. 

2 I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense. 

3 I have not mastered human wisdom, nor do I know the Holy One. 

4Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name—and his son’s name? Tell me if you know! 

5 Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. 

6 Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar. 

7 O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. 

8 First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. 

9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD ?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name. 

10 Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it. 

11 Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. 

12 They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed. 

13 They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances. 

14 They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity. 

15 The leech has two suckers that cry out, “More, more!” There are three things that are never satisfied— no, four that never say, “Enough!”: 

16 the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire. 

17The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother’s instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures. 

18 There are three things that amaze me— no, four things that I don’t understand: 

19 how an eagle glides through the sky, how a snake slithers on a rock, how a ship navigates the ocean, how a man loves a woman. 

20 An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, “What’s wrong with that?” 

21 There are three things that make the earth tremble— no, four it cannot endure: 

22 a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers, 

23 a bitter woman who finally gets a husband, a servant girl who supplants her mistress. 

24 There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise: 

25 Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer. 

26 Hyraxes —they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks. 

27Locusts—they have no king, but they march in formation. 

28Lizards—they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces. 

29 There are three things that walk with stately stride— no, four that strut about: 

30 the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything, 

31 the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army. 

32 If you have been a fool by being proud or plotting evil, cover your mouth in shame.

33 As the beating of cream yields butter and striking the nose causes bleeding, so stirring up anger causes quarrels.