James 3:2

James 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

Context of James 3:2

1My Christian friends, not many of you should become teachers. We people who teach God's message must be very careful. When God judges everybody, he will demand more from us than from other people. We 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. 3For example, think about how we make a horse go the right way. We put a small bit of metal in its mouth so that we can turn it. Then we can cause the horse's whole body to go where we want it to go. 4Also, think about ships that sail on the sea. They are very large. Strong winds push them with great power. But we fix a piece of wood at the back of the ship. With this small piece of wood, the master can cause the ship to go anywhere that he wants it to go.

James 3:2 word by word

πολλὰ γὰρ πταίομεν ἅπαντες· εἴ τις ἐν λόγῳ οὐ πταίει, οὗτος τέλειος ἀνήρ, δυνατὸς χαλιναγωγῆσαι καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• in many thingsπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• we offendπταίωptaiō · to stumbleG4417
• allἅπαςhapas · allG537
• Ifεἰei · ifG1487
• any manτιςtis · oneG5100
• notοὐou · noG3756
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• the sameοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• a perfectτέλειοςteleios · perfectG5046
• manἀνήρanēr · manG435
• ableδυνατόςdunatos · ableG1415
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• to bridleχαλιναγωγέωchalinagōgeō · to bridleG5468
• the wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
• bodyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983

Cross-references for James 3:2

• 1 Kings 8:46There is nobody who never does a wrong thing. So when your people do not obey you, you will be angry with them. You will put them under the power of their enemies. Those enemies will take them as prisoners to their own country. Perhaps it will be a country that is far away. Perhaps it will be near.
• 2 Chronicles 6:36There is nobody who never does a wrong thing. So when your people do not obey you, you will be angry with them. You will put them under the power of their enemies. Those enemies will take them away as their prisoners. Perhaps they will take them to a country that is far away. Perhaps it will be near.
• Proverbs 20:9Nobody can say, ‘My thoughts are completely pure. There is no sin in me.’
• Ecclesiastes 7:20There is nobody on the earth who is so righteous that they always do what is right. There is nobody who never does a wrong thing.
• Isaiah 64:6Our sins have made us all like unclean people, who cannot worship you. Even the good things that we try to do are like dirty bits of cloth. Our sins will blow us all away, as the wind blows away dead leaves.
• Romans 3:10This is written in the Bible: ‘There is nobody who is right with God. There is not even one person who is like that.
• Romans 7:21So I understand what is happening in me. Whenever I want to do something good, I can only choose something bad.
• Galatians 3:22But the Bible says that sin has power over everyone. People can not get free. This means that we can only receive what God has promised when we trust Jesus Christ. God gives his promise to those who believe.
• Galatians 5:17The things that you want to do as a weak person are opposite to the things that God's Spirit wants. The things that God's Spirit wants are the opposite of what we want as weak people. Our own thoughts fight against what God's Spirit wants us to do. As a result, you are not free to do the things that you really want to do.
• 1 John 1:8If we say that we never do any wrong thing, we are deceiving ourselves. Even though we may think it is true, it is a lie.
• James 3:5In the same way, our tongue is a very small part of our body. But it speaks as if it is very great. Think about this. A very small fire can cause even a big forest to burn completely.
• James 1:26Maybe 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.
• Psalms 34:13If so, do not speak any evil words. Do not tell lies to deceive people.
• Proverbs 13:3Someone who thinks before he speaks will keep his life safe. But someone who talks too much will destroy himself.
• 1 Peter 3:10The Bible says this: ‘Do you want to enjoy your life? Do you want to be happy? Then you must be careful not to say evil things. Do not tell any lies.
• James 1:4So you should continue to trust God all the time. Then you will become stronger as a believer. You will become completely how you should be. You will not need anything more.

Commentaries on James 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2In many things we offend all - ̔· We all stumble or trip. Dr. Barrow very properly observes: "As the general course of life is called a way, and particular actions steps, so going on in a regular course of right action is walking uprightly; and acting amiss, tripping or stumbling." There are very few who walk so closely with God, and inoffensively with men, as never to stumble; and although it is the privilege of every follower of God to be sincere and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2For in many things we offend all - We all offend. The word here rendered offend, means to stumble, to fall; then to err, to fail in duty; and the meaning here is, that all were liable to commit error, and that this consideration should induce men to be cautious in seeking an office where an error would be likely to do so much injury. The particular thing, doubtless, which the apostle had in his eye, was the peculiar liability to commit error, or to do…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2We all: The main concern of James is how the speech of church members affects their relationships with others (3:9–10, 14; 4:1–3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. all--The Greek implies "all without exception": even the apostles. offend not--literally "stumbleth not": is void of offence or "slip" in word: in which respect one is especially tried who sets up to be a "teacher."Read the comment

Topics related to James 3:2

• Depravity of Man
• Perfection
• Speaking
• Words

In the dictionaries

• Word, The
• Course
• Governor
• Obey
• Offend
• Ought
• Sanctification
• Tame
• Bit and Bridle
• Busybody

Commentaries on James 3

• 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
• 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