---
title: "James 3 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/james/3/
description: "Of the evils of the tongue. Of the difference between the earthly and heavenly… James 3 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# James 3

James 3 is chapter 3 of 5 in the Letter of James. Here are all 18 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> Of the evils of the tongue. Of the difference between the earthly and heavenly wisdom.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## James 3 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. My brothers, not many of you should choose to become teachers, knowing that you shall receive a stricter judgment.
2. For we all offend in many ways. If anyone does not offend in word, he is a perfect man. And he is then able, as if with a bridle, to lead the whole body around.
3. For so we put bridles into the mouths of horses, in order to submit them to our will, and so we turn their whole body around.
4. Consider also the ships, which, though they are great and may be driven by strong winds, yet they are turned around with a small rudder, to be directed to wherever the strength of the pilot might will.
5. So also the tongue certainly is a small part, but it moves great things. Consider that a small fire can set ablaze a great forest.
6. And so the tongue is like a fire, comprising all iniquity. The tongue, stationed in the midst of our body, can defile the entire body and inflame the wheel of our nativity, setting a fire from Hell.
7. For the nature of all beasts and birds and serpents and others is ruled over, and has been ruled over, by human nature.
8. But no man is able to rule over the tongue, a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9. By it we bless God the Father, and by it we speak evil of men, who have been made in the likeness of God.
10. From the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so!
11. Does a fountain emit, out of the same opening, both sweet and bitter water?
12. My brothers, can the fig tree yield grapes? Or the vine, figs? Then neither is salt water able to produce fresh water.
13. Who is wise and well-taught among you? Let him show, by means of good conversation, his work in the meekness of wisdom.
14. But if you hold a bitter zeal, and if there is contention in your hearts, then do not boast and do not be liars against the truth.
15. For this is not wisdom, descending from above, but rather it is earthly, beastly, and diabolical.
16. For wherever envy and contention is, there too is inconstancy and every depraved work.
17. But within the wisdom that is from above, certainly, chastity is first, and next peacefulness, meekness, openness, consenting to what is good, a plenitude of mercy and good fruits, not judging, without falseness.
18. And so the fruit of justice is sown in peace by those who make peace.

## James 3 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Nolite plures magistri fieri fratres mei, scientes quoniam majus judicium sumitis.
2. In multis enim offendimus omnes. Si quis in verbo non offendit, hic perfectus est vir: potest etiam freno circumducere totum corpus.
3. Si autem equis frena in ora mittimus ad consentiendum nobis, et omne corpus illorum circumferimus.
4. Ecce et naves, cum magnæ sint, et a ventis validis minentur, circumferuntur a modico gubernaculo ubi impetus dirigentis voluerit.
5. Ita et lingua modicum quidem membrum est, et magna exaltat. Ecce quantus ignis quam magnam silvam incendit!
6. Et lingua ignis est, universitas iniquitatis. Lingua constituitur in membris nostris, quæ maculat totum corpus, et inflammat rotam nativitatis nostræ inflammata a gehenna.
7. Omnis enim natura bestiarum, et volucrum, et serpentium, et ceterorum domantur, et domita sunt a natura humana:
8. linguam autem nullus hominum domare potest: inquietum malum, plena veneno mortifero.
9. In ipsa benedicimus Deum et Patrem: et in ipsa maledicimus homines, qui ad similitudinem Dei facti sunt.
10. Ex ipso ore procedit benedictio et maledictio. Non oportet, fratres mei, hæc ita fieri.
11. Numquid fons de eodem foramine emanat dulcem et amaram aquam?
12. Numquid potest, fratres mei, ficus uvas facere, aut vitis ficus? Sic neque salsa dulcem potest facere aquam.
13. Quis sapiens et disciplinatus inter vos? Ostendat ex bona conversatione operationem suam in mansuetudine sapientiæ.
14. Quod si zelum amarum habetis, et contentiones sint in cordibus vestris: nolite gloriari, et mendaces esse adversus veritatem:
15. non est enim ista sapientia desursum descendens: sed terrena, animalis, diabolica.
16. Ubi enim zelus et contentio, ibi inconstantia et omne opus pravum.
17. Quæ autem desursum est sapientia, primum quidem pudica est, deinde pacifica, modesta, suadibilis, bonis consentiens, plena misericordia et fructibus bonis, non judicans, sine simulatione.
18. Fructus autem justitiæ, in pace seminatur, facientibus pacem.

## Read at Mass (US)

- Sun, Sep 19, 2027 (computed): Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time — Second Reading, James 3:16—4:3
- Sat, Feb 19, 2028 (computed): Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time — First Reading, James 3:1-10
- Mon, Feb 21, 2028 (computed): Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time — First Reading, James 3:13-18

Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).