James 3:3

James 3:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
• New International Version (NIV)When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
• English Standard Version (ESV)If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.

Context of James 3:3

1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, since you know that we will receive a stricter judgment. 2For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole body as well. 4See also the ships—though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5So also the tongue is a small member—yet it boasts of great things. See how so small a fire sets a blaze so great a forest!

James 3:3 word by word

Εἰ δὲ τῶν ἵππων τοὺς χαλινοὺς εἰς τὰ στόματα βάλλομεν εἰς τὸ πείθεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἡμῖν, καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα αὐτῶν μετάγομεν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• we putβάλλωballō · to throw: putG906
• bitsχαλινόςchalinos · bridleG5469
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the horses’ἵπποςhippos · horseG2462
• mouthsστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
• thatπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• theyαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• may obeyπείθωpeithō · to persuadeG3982
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• we turn aboutμετάγωmetagō · to turnG3329
• wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
• bodyσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983

Cross-references for James 3:3

• James 1:26If anyone thinks he is religious and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is futile.
• 2 Kings 19:28Because your raging against Me and your arrogance reached My ears, I will put My hook in your nose, and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way you came.”
• Psalms 32:9Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding, and must be held in with bit and bridle or they will not come to you.”
• Psalms 39:1For the music director, for Jeduthun, a psalm of David.
• Isaiah 37:29Because your raging against Me and your arrogance reached My ears, I will put My hook in your nose, and My bridle in your lips, and I will turn you back by the way that you came.”

Commentaries on James 3:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths - In order to show the necessity of regulating the tongue, to which St. James was led by his exhortation to them who wished to thrust themselves into the teacher's office, supposing, because they had the gift of a ready flow of speech, that therefore they might commence teachers of Divine things; he proceeds to show that the tongue must be bridled as the horse, and governed as the ships; because, though it is…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Behold, we put bits in the horses” mouths … - The meaning of this simple illustration is, that as we control a horse by the bit - though the bit is a small thing - so the body is controlled by the tongue. He who has a proper control over his tongue can govern his whole body, as he who holds a bridle governs and turns about the horse.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Behold--The best authorities read, "but if," that is, Now whensoever (in the case) of horses (such is the emphatic position of "horses" in the Greek) we put the bits (so literally, "the customary bits") into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about also their whole body. This is to illustrate how man turns about his whole body with the little tongue. "The same applies to the pen, which is the substitute for the tongue among the absent"…Read the comment

Topics related to James 3:3

• Bit
• Horse

In the dictionaries

• Bit
• Course
• Governor
• Obey
• Offend
• Ought
• Tame
• Bit and Bridle
• Busybody
• Horse

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