James 3:8

but no man may chastise the tongue (or but no one can discipline the tongue), for it is an unpeaceable evil, and full of deadly venom.

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

In The King James Version

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

In Context

7And all the kind (s) of beasts, and of fowls, and of serpents, and of others is chastised, and those be made tame of man’s kind (or and they all can be tamed by mankind); [Soothly all kind (s) of beasts, and fowls, and serpents, and of others, be overcome, or under-yoked, and be made tame, of mankind, (or and can be made tame by mankind);]

9In it we bless God, the Father, and in it we curse men, that be made to the likeness of God. (With it we bless God the Father, and with it we curse men, who be made in the likeness of God.)

Read all of James 3

Cross References

Psalms 55:21the cheers thereof were parted from ire; and his heart nighed. The words thereof were softer than oil; and they be darts. (their words were smoother than butter; but battle was in their hearts. Their words were softer than oil; but they were as sharp as darts.)

Psalms 58:4Strong vengeance is to them, by the likeness of a serpent; as of a deaf snake, and stopping his ears. (Strong venom cometh forth from them, like that of serpents; and they be like a deaf snake that stoppeth its ears.)

Psalms 64:3For they sharpened their tongues as a sword, they bend their bow, a bitter thing; (For they sharpened their tongues like swords, yea, they bent their bows, and shot out bitter words;)

Ecclesiastes 10:11If a serpent biteth, it biteth in silence; he that backbiteth privily, hath nothing less than it, (or he who privately, or secretly, backbiteth someone is no better).

James 3:6And our tongue is (a) fire, the university of wickedness. The tongue is ordained in our members, which defouleth all the body; and it is enflamed, [or set afire], of hell (or and it is set on fire from hell), and enflameth the wheel of our birth.

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

Study James 3:8