James 1:26

James 1:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
• New King James Version (NKJV)If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

Context of James 1:26

24That man looks at himself, but then he goes away. He immediately forgets what he is really like. 25So do not just listen to God's message and then forget it. It is a completely good message that makes people free. Look at it carefully and keep it in your mind. Do what it tells you to do. God will bless anyone who lives in that way. Maybe some of you think that you are serving God well. But if you also say bad things about people, you do not serve God well at all. You are doing something bad even when you think you are doing good things. 27If you want to serve God in a completely good way, do things like this: Help children who have no parents and women who are widows. Help them in their troubles. If you serve God our Father like that, he will be pleased with you. Do not let the bad people in this world make you bad too.

James 1:26 word by word

Εἴ τις δοκεῖ θρησκὸς εἶναι μὴ χαλιναγωγῶν γλῶσσαν αὐτοῦ ἀλλ᾽ ἀπατῶν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, τούτου μάταιος ἡ θρησκεία.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• any manτιςtis · oneG5100
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• youσύsu · youG4771
• seemδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
• to beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• religiousθρησκόςthrēskos · religiousG2357
• and bridlethχαλιναγωγέωchalinagōgeō · to bridleG5468
• notμήmē · notG3361
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• tongueγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• deceivethἀπατάωapataō · to trickG538
• heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• this man’sοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• religionὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• religionθρησκείαthrēskeia · religionG2356
• vainμάταιοςmataios · futileG3152

Cross-references for James 1:26

• Proverbs 14:12You may think that you are on a good, straight road. But in the end, that road may lead you to death.
• Proverbs 16:25You may think that you are on a good, straight road. But in the end, that road may lead you to death.
• Luke 8:18So you should think carefully about what you hear. The person who has received some things will receive more. But some other people have nothing. They think that they have a little bit. But they will lose even that.’
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Be careful! Do not think that you are better than you really are. Maybe you think that you are wise, like people today want to be wise. But if you want to become truly wise, be ready for other people to think that you are a fool.
• Galatians 2:6The church leaders in Jerusalem did not argue with me. (They were the people who seemed to be the leaders. It does not matter to me whether they were really important people or not. God does not respect some people more than others.) Those leaders did not tell me to change the message that I teach.
• Galatians 6:3You must not think that you are too important to help other people. If you are not really so important, you are thinking a false thought.
• James 1:19Understand this, my Christian friends: We must all be careful to listen. We should not be too quick to speak. We should not get angry quickly.
• James 3:2We all make many mistakes. So, if someone never says anything that is bad, that person is completely good. It shows that he has authority over his whole body.
• Psalms 32:9Do not be like a silly horse, or a mule. You have to use a rope to show them which way to go. Without that, they will not obey you.
• Psalms 34:13If so, do not speak any evil words. Do not tell lies to deceive people.
• Psalms 39:1I said, ‘I will be careful what I do, so that I do not sin. I will also be careful what I say. When wicked people are listening, I will not even open my mouth.’
• Psalms 141:3Lord, keep my mouth safe, so that I do not speak bad things.
• Proverbs 10:19If you talk too much, you will soon do something wrong. But if you are wise, you will stop talking.
• Proverbs 13:2If you say kind words, you will eat good things. But wicked people only want to be cruel.
• Proverbs 15:2When wise people speak, they show that knowledge is good. But when fools speak, they only say foolish things.
• Proverbs 16:10A king speaks with God's authority. He must judge people in a fair way.

Commentaries on James 1:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Seem to be religious - The words and , which we translate religious and religion, (see the next verse), are of very uncertain etymology. Suidas, under the word , which he translates , ̔ , he worships or serves the gods, accounts for the derivation thus: "It is said that Orpheus, a Thracian, instituted the mysteries (or religious rites) of the Greeks, and called the worshipping of God threskeuein, as being a Thracian invention." Whatever its derivation may…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26If any man among you seem to be religious - Pious, or devout. That is, if he does not restrain his tongue, his other evidences of religion are worthless. A man may undoubtedly have many things in his character which seem to be evidences of the existence of religion in his heart, and yet there may be some one thing that shall show that all those evidences are false. Religion is designed to produce an effect on our whole conduct; and if there is any one…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 26-27Verses 26-27 When men take more pains to seem religious than really to be so, it is a sign their religion is in vain. The not bridling the tongue, readiness to speak of the faults of others, or to lessen their wisdom and piety, are signs of a vain religion. The man who has a slandering tongue, cannot have a truly humble, gracious heart. False religious may be known by their impurity and uncharitableness. True religion teaches us to do every thing as in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-27bridle his tongue: James uses this image to show that controlling your tongue reflects the condition of your heart and direction of life (compare 3:1–13). orphans and widows were the most vulnerable people in ancient society. They relied on others for support because the husband and father provided economic help and social connections (Exodus 22:22–24; Deuteronomy 10:18). God calls Christians to especially care for those who are helpless (compare 1…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 26-2726-27. An example of doing work. religious ... religion--The Greek expresses the external service or exercise of religion, "godliness" being the internal soul of it. "If any man think himself to be (so the Greek) religious, that is, observant of the offices of religion, let him know these consist not so much in outward observances, as in such acts of mercy and humble piety (Mi 6:7, 8) as visiting the fatherless, &c., and keeping one's self unspotted from…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:26

• Bridle
• Doer
• Hypocrisy
• Self-Deception
• Speaking
• Vanity
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Entice
• Fade
• Lack
• Lay
• Liberally
• Lust
• Pure
• Receive
• Religion
• Swift

Commentaries on James 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings