It was God's purpose to bring us into being [spiritually] by the message of truth, so that we could become a kind of "firstfruits" of those He created. [Note: "Firstfruits" here suggests either that Christians are the best of all of God's creatures (Num. 18:12), or that they were the first to be converted, with many more to come].

But prove yourselves obedient to the Message, and do not be mere hearers of it, imposing a delusion upon yourselves.

If a person of an ungovernable tongue pretends to religion, he abuses himself: for his religion is meer illusion.

But if ye regard one person more than another, ye commit sin, and are rebuked of the law as transgressors.

as the body then without the soul is a meer carcase, so faith without its effects is lifeless.

Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].

In the same way the tongue is an insignificant part of the body, but it is immensely boastful. Remember how a mere spark may set a vast forest in flames.

Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives? Or a vine, figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

But, as the case stands, it is in mere self-confidence that you boast: all such boasting is evil.