James 3:5

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

3And 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. So 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! 6And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is a world of evil placed among our body parts. It pollutes the whole body and sets on fire the course of life—and is set on fire by Gehenna. 7For every species of beasts and birds, reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.

James 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 5:2But Pharaoh said, “Who is Adonai, that I should listen to His voice and let Israel go? I do not know Adonai, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”
• Exodus 15:9The enemy said, “I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My lust shall gorge on them! I will draw my sword— my hand will destroy them.”
• 2 Kings 19:22Whom did you taunt and blaspheme? Against whom did you raise your voice and haughtily lift up your eyes? Against the Holy One of Israel!
• Job 21:14Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone! We have no desire to know Your ways.
• Job 22:17They said to God, ‘Leave us alone! What can Shaddai do to us?’
• Psalms 10:3For the wicked one boasts about his soul’s desire. The greedy one curses, reviling Adonai.
• Psalms 12:2Help, Adonai! For no one godly exists. For the faithful have vanished from the children of men.
• Psalms 17:10Their callous heart they shut tight. With their mouth they speak proudly.
• Psalms 52:1For the music director: a contemplative song of David,
• Psalms 73:8They scoff and wickedly plan evil. From on high they threaten.
• Proverbs 12:18Reckless speech is like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
• Proverbs 15:2The tongue of the wise treats knowledge correctly, but the mouth of fools spouts folly.
• Proverbs 18:21Death and life are in the control of the tongue. Those who indulge in it will eat its fruit.
• Jeremiah 9:3Beware, everyone, of your neighbor! Don’t even trust a brother. For every brother grabs like Jacob and every neighbor spreads slander.
• Jeremiah 18:18Then they said: “Come, let us devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely Torah from the kohen will not be lost, nor will counsel from the wise, nor will the word from the prophet. Come, let’s strike at him with the tongue, and pay no attention to any of his words.”
• Ezekiel 28:2“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘So your heart is exalted and you say, “I am a god! I sit in the seat of the gods in the heart of the seas!” Yet you are human, not a god, even if you set up your heart like the heart of 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

• Boasting
• Speaking

In the dictionaries

• Course
• Governor
• Obey
• Offend
• Ought
• Tame
• Busybody
• Fire
• Great; Greatness
• Matter

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