James 3:3

James 3:3

The Untamable Tongue

1 My brethren, ^alet not many of you become teachers, ^bknowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

2 For ^awe all stumble in many things. ^bIf anyone does not stumble in word, ^che is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

3 Indeed, ^awe put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.

4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.

5 Even so ^athe tongue is a little member and ^bboasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!

6 And ^athe tongue is a fire, a world of¹ iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it ^bdefiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of² nature; and it is set on fire by³ hell.

7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.

Commentaries:

Adam Clarke

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James 3:4 >>

Behold, 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 small, it is capable of ruling the whole man; and of irritating and offending others.

**Other Adam Clarke entries containing James 3:3:**

Job 5:21
James 3:2
James 3:2

<< James 3:2

James 3:4 >>

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