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James 3:5

so also the tongue is a little member, and doth boast greatly; lo, a little fire how much wood it doth kindle!

Young's Literal Translation

In The King James Version

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

In Context

4lo, also the ships, being so great, and by fierce winds being driven, are led about by a very small helm, whithersoever the impulse of the helmsman doth counsel,

6and the tongue [is] a fire, the world of the unrighteousness, so the tongue is set in our members, which is spotting our whole body, and is setting on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by the gehenna.

Read all of James 3

Cross References

Exodus 5:2and Pharaoh saith, 'Who [is] Jehovah, that I hearken to His voice, to send Israel away? I have not known Jehovah, and Israel also I do not send away.'

2 Kings 19:22Whom hast thou reproached and reviled? And against whom lifted up a voice? Yea, thou dost lift up on high thine eyes — Against the Holy One of Israel!

Job 22:17Those saying to God, 'Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?

Psalms 12:2Vanity they speak each with his neighbour, Lip of flattery! With heart and heart they speak.

Psalms 52:1To the Overseer. — An instruction, by David, in the coming in of Doeg the Edomite, and he declareth to Saul, and saith to him, 'David came in unto the house of Ahimelech.' What, boasteth thou in evil, O mighty one? The kindness of God [is] all the day.

Proverbs 12:18A rash speaker is like piercings of a sword, And the tongue of the wise is healing.

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

King James VersionBíblia Almeida (Português)Luther Bibel (Deutsch)Bible Louis Segond (Français)Библия (Русский)聖經 (中文)성경 (한국어)聖書 (日本語)الكتاب المقدس (العربية)बाइबल (हिन्दी)Biblia (Kiswahili)Bibbia Diodati (Italiano)Alkitab (Bahasa Indonesia)

Study James 3:5

Matthew HenryJamieson-Fausset-BrownAdam ClarkeAlbert BarnesJohn WesleyJohn CalvinScofieldWilliam BurkittFamily Bible NotesGeneva Bible Notes (1599)
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