5 In just the same way the tongue is a very small part of the body, but it makes great boasts! Think how a big forest can be set on fire by a very small flame! 6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue is a world of evil among the parts of the body. It disgraces all you are as a person, and can burn down the whole of your life, since it is set on fire by Gehenna.3:6. Gehenna: the trash dump outside of Jerusalem where fires were used to burn the trash. The word is used symbolically as the endpoint for the wicked. See note on Matthew 5:22.
17 However, wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure, and it also brings peace. It is kind and open to reason. It is full of mercy and produces good things. It is genuine and not hypocritical.