James 3:8

James 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
• New International Version (NIV)but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
• English Standard Version (ESV)but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Context of James 3:8

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. But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our Adonai and Father, and with it we curse people, who are made in the image of God. 10From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be.

James 3:8 word by word

τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν οὐδεὶς δαμάσαι δύναται ἀνθρώπων· ἀκατάστατον κακόν, μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• the tongueγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
• canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• noοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• tameδαμάζωdamazō · to tameG1150
• an unrulyἀκατάσχετοςakataschetos · uncontrollableG183
• evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556
• fullμεστόςmestos · fullG3324
• of deadlyθανατήφοροςthanatēphoros · deadlyG2287
• poisonἰόςios · poison/rustG2447

Cross-references for James 3:8

• James 3:6And 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.
• Psalms 55:21My companion put forth his hands against those at peace with him, as he violates his covenant.
• Psalms 57:4He will send from heaven and save me. He rebukes the one trampling on me. Selah God is sending His mercy and His truth.
• Psalms 59:7They return at evening, snarling like a dog, prowling about the city.
• Psalms 64:3Hide me from the conspiracy of evildoers, from the tumult of workers of iniquity,
• Deuteronomy 32:33Venom of serpents is their wine— poison of vipers so cruel.
• Psalms 58:4The wicked are strangers from the womb. Speaking lies, they go astray from birth.
• Psalms 140:3who devise evil in their heart— every day they stir up wars.
• Ecclesiastes 10:11If the snake bites before it is charmed, there is no profit for the charmer.
• Romans 3:13Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they keep deceiving. The poison of vipers is under their lips.
• Revelation 12:9And the great dragon was thrown down—the ancient serpent, called the devil and satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Commentaries on James 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8But the tongue wan no man tame - No cunning, persuasion, or influence has ever been able to silence it. Nothing but the grace of God, excision, or death, can bring it under subjection. It is an unruly evil - · An evil that cannot be restrained; it cannot be brought under any kind of government; it breaks all bounds. Full of deadly poison - He refers here to the tongues of serpents, supposed to be the means of conveying their poison into wounds made by…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8But the tongue can no man tame - This does not mean that it is never brought under control, but that it is impossible effectually and certainly to subdue it. It would be possible to subdue and domesticate any kind of beasts, but this could not be done with the tongue. It is an unruly evil - An evil without restraint, to which no certain and effectual check can be applied. Of the truth of this no one can have any doubt, who looks at the condition of the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8No man can tame the tongue: The tongue has a remarkable ability to do harm. If hell motivates its evil, humans effort alone cannot control it (3:6). full of deadly poison: This might refer to the serpent in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1). The Scriptures identify the serpent with the devil (Revelation 20:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. no man--literally, "no one of men": neither can a man control his neighbor's, nor even his own tongue. Hence the truth of Jas 3:2 appears. unruly evil--The Greek, implies that it is at once restless and incapable of restraint. Nay, though nature has hedged it in with a double barrier of the lips and teeth, it bursts from its barriers to assail and ruin men [Estius]. deadly--literally, "death-bearing."Read the comment

Topics related to James 3:8

• Speaking

In the dictionaries

• Course
• Governor
• Obey
• Offend
• Ought
• Poison
• Tame
• Busybody
• Deadly

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