James 3:6

and the tongue [is] fire, the world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set in our members, the defiler of the whole body, and which sets fire to the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell.

Darby Translation

In The King James Version

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

In Context

5Thus also the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how little a fire, how large a wood it kindles!

7For every species both of beasts and of birds, both of creeping things and of sea animals, is tamed and has been tamed by the human species;

Read all of James 3

Cross References

Genesis 3:4And the serpent said to the woman, Ye will not certainly die;

Numbers 25:2And they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods.

Deuteronomy 13:6If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, who is to thee as thy soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods (whom thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;

Judges 16:15Then she said to him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me? these three times hast thou mocked me, and hast not told me in what is thy great strength.

2 Samuel 13:26And Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?

2 Samuel 16:20And Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

Matthew Henry on James 3:2-13

Government of the Tongue. ( a. d. 61.) 1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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