James 3:2-8 for we all are tripping and stumbling (= making mistakes) many times and are causing many to entangle their feet, lose balance, and stumble. If anyone is not continually stumbling in word (or: collected thought; reason; or: = what he says), this one is a mature male adult (or: a perfect husband; = a complete and finished person), with power and able also to guide the whole body as with a bridle.

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ² for we all are tripping and stumbling (= making mistakes) many times [and] are causing many to entangle their feet, lose balance, and stumble. If anyone is not continually stumbling in word (or: collected thought; reason; or: = what he says), this one is a mature male adult (or: a perfect husband; = a complete and finished person), with power and able also to guide the whole body [as] with a bridle. ³ Now if we are thrusting the bridle bits into the horses' mouths to make them continually yield themselves to us, we also continually lead together (or: change the course of and direct) their whole body. ⁴ Consider also the ships, being of so great size, and being constantly driven under rough and hard winds. They are continually steered under (or: by) the smallest rudder, wherever the impulse of the helmsman (the one presently guiding straight and right) continues determining and intending. ⁵ Thus also, the tongue is a little member of the body, and yet is continuously making a great boast [other MSS: constantly brags about great things] – consider how great a forest a little fire progressively sets ablaze (or: lights up)! ⁶ Well the tongue [is] a fire; [its fuel is] the System of injustice (or: the ordered and decorated but dominating world of secular culture, religion, politics and government which is unjust; or: The tongue, also, [is] fire: the world of disregard for what is right). The tongue is placed down within our members, continuously spotting (staining; = defiling) the whole body, and repeatedly setting on fire the wheel of birth (= the cycle of the origin [of life], or of generation; the wheel of genesis), as well as being continuously set on fire by (or: under) the garbage dump (the depository of refuse; Greek: Gehenna – the Valley of Hinnom). ⁷ For every nature, both of wild animals and of flying creatures, both of creeping animals and of those in the salt sea, is continuously being restrained (tamed) and has been restrained by the nature of man (the human nature). ⁸ But the tongue – an unruly (un-restrainable; other MSS: unfixed; unstable; restless), worthless (ugly; bad; malicious; unrefined; harmful; base) [member], full of death-bearing venom – no one of humanity is able (continues having power) to subdue, restrain or tame.