James 1:26

And if any man guesseth himself to be religious, and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiveth his heart, the religion of him is vain (or his religion is empty and useless).

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

In Context

25But he that beholdeth into the law of perfect freedom, and dwelleth in it, and is not made a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work (s), this shall be blessed in his deed (s).

27A clean religion, and unwemmed with God and the Father, is this, to visit fatherless and motherless children, and widows in their tribulation, and to keep himself undefouled from this world. (A clean religion, and unspotted, or without blemish, with God the Father, is this, to visit fatherless and motherless children, and widows in their distress, and to keep himself undefiled from this world.)

Read all of James 1

Cross References

Job 15:13What swelleth thy spirit against God, that thou bring forth of thy mouth such words? (What swelleth thy spirit against God, so that thou bring forth such words out of thy mouth?)

Psalms 32:9Do not ye be made as an horse and mule; to which is none understanding. Lord, constrain thou the cheeks of them with a barnacle and bridle; that (they) nigh not to thee. (Do not ye be made like a horse or a mule; which have no understanding, or reasoning ability. Their mouths must be constrained with a bit and a bridle; so that they finally submit to where they should go.)

Psalms 39:1For victory, to Jeduthun, the psalm of David. I said, I shall keep my ways; that I trespass not in my tongue. I setted keeping to my mouth; when a sinner stood against me. ( For the choirmaster, for Jeduthun, a song by David. I said, I shall keep watch over my ways; so that I do not trespass with my tongue. And I guarded my mouth; when a sinner stood against me.)

Proverbs 10:19Sin shall not fail in much speaking; but he that measureth his lips, is most prudent. (Sin shall abound with much speaking; but he who ruleth his lips, is most prudent.)

Proverbs 13:2A man shall be filled with goods of the fruit of his mouth; but the soul of unpious men is wicked. (A good person shall be filled with things from the fruit of his mouth; but the souls of evil people be wicked.)

Proverbs 15:2The tongue of wise men honoureth knowing (or The speaking of the wise honoureth knowledge); the mouth of fools boileth out folly.

Matthew Henry on James 1:20-27

On Suppressing Corrupt Affections; The Duty of Hearers; Practical Religion. ( a. d. 61.) 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study James 1:26