God’s Word Translation
James 3:5
5In the same way the tongue is a small part of the body, but it can brag about doing important things. A large forest can be set on fire by a little flame.
James 3:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
- New International Version (NIV)Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
- New King James Version (NKJV)Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
Context of James 3:5
3We put bits in the mouths of horses to make them obey us, and we have control over everything they do. 4The same thing is true for ships. They are very big and are driven by strong winds. Yet, by using small rudders, pilots steer ships wherever they want them to go. In the same way the tongue is a small part of the body, but it can brag about doing important things. A large forest can be set on fire by a little flame. 6The tongue is that kind of flame. It is a world of evil among the parts of our bodies, and it completely contaminates our bodies. The tongue sets our lives on fire, and is itself set on fire from hell. 7People have tamed all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures.
Read all of James 3James 3:5 word by word
Οὕτως καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα μικρὸν μέλος ἐστὶν καὶ μεγάλα αὐχεῖ. ἰδοὺ ἡλίκον πῦρ ἡλίκην ὕλην ἀνάπτει·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Evenκαίkai · andG2532
- soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- the tongueὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the tongueγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- a littleμικρόςmikros mikroteros · smallG3398
- memberμέλοςmelos · memberG3196
- boasteth great thingsμεγαλαυχέωmegalaucheō · to boastG3166
- Beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- how greatἡλίκοςhēlikos · how great?G2245
- a matterὕληhulē · forestG5208
- a littleὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
- fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
- kindlethἀνάπτωanaptō · to set fireG381
Cross-references for James 3:5
- Exodus 5:2Pharaoh asked, “Who is the Lord? Why should I obey him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I won’t let Israel go.”
- Exodus 15:9“The enemy said, ‘I’ll pursue them! I’ll catch up with them! I’ll divide the loot! I’ll take all I want! I’ll use my sword! I’ll take all they have!’
- 2 Kings 19:22Whom are you defying and slandering? Against whom are you shouting? Who are you looking at so arrogantly? It is the Holy One of Israel!
- Job 21:14But they say to God, ‘Leave us alone. We don’t want to know your ways.
- Job 22:17They told God, ‘Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do for us?’
- Psalms 10:3The wicked person boasts about his selfish desires. He blesses robbers, but he curses the Lord.
- Psalms 12:2All people speak foolishly. They speak with flattering lips. They say one thing but mean another.
- Psalms 17:10They have shut out all feeling. Their mouths have spoken arrogantly.
- Psalms 52:1Why do you brag about the evil you’ve done, you hero? The mercy of God lasts all day long!
- Psalms 73:8They ridicule. They speak maliciously. They speak arrogantly about oppression.
- Proverbs 12:18Careless words stab like a sword, but the words of wise people bring healing.
- Proverbs 15:2The tongues of wise people give good expression to knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out a flood of stupidity.
- Proverbs 18:21The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words.
- Jeremiah 9:3They use their tongues like bows that shoot arrows. Lies and dishonesty rule the land. They go from one evil thing to another, and they don’t know me,” declares the Lord.
- Jeremiah 18:18Then they said, “Let’s plot against Jeremiah, because the teachings of the priests, the advice of wise people, and the word of the prophets won’t disappear. Accuse him! Pay no attention to anything he says.”
- Ezekiel 28:2“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: In your arrogance you say, “I’m a god. I sit on God’s throne in the sea.” But you’re only human and not a god, although you think you are a god.
Commentaries on James 3:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Boasteth great things - That is, can do great things, whether of a good or evil kind. He seems to refer here to the powerful and all commanding eloquence of the Greek orators: they could carry the great mob whithersoever they wished; calm them to peaceableness and submission, or excite them to furious sedition. Behold, how great a matter - See what a flame of discord and insubordination one man, merely by his persuasive tongue, may kindle among the common…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Even so the tongue is a little member - Little compared with the body, as the bit or the rudder is, compared with the horse or the ship. And boasteth great things - The design of the apostle is to illustrate the power and influence of the tongue. This may be done in a great many respects: and the apostle does it by referring to its boasting; to the effects which it produces, resembling that of fire, James 3:6; to its untameableness, James 3:8-9; and to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. boasteth great things--There is great moment in what the careless think "little" things [Bengel]. Compare "a world," "the course of nature," "hell," Jas 3:6, which illustrate how the little tongue's great words produce great mischief. how great a matter a little fire kindleth--The best manuscripts read, "how little a fire kindleth how great a," &c. Alford, for "matter," translates, "forest." But Grotius translates as English Version, "material for…Read the comment
Topics related to James 3:5
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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