James

James 3:5–8

⁵In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. ⁶The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.^a

⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Footnotes

a 3:6 Greek Gehenna

Read all of James 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

James 3:5

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
In the same way	Οὕτως	Houtōs	Adverb	G3779 thus, so, in this manner
the	ἡ	hē	Article - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
tongue	γλῶσσα	glōssa	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G1100 the tongue, a language, nation
is	ἐστὶν	estin	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G1510 I am, exist
a small	μικρὸν	mikron	Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular	G3398 little, small
part of the body	μέλος	melos	Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular	G3196 a limb, member
it boasts of	αὐχεῖ	auchei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G3166 I boast, am arrogant, vaunt
great things	μεγάλα	megala	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural	G3173 large, great
Consider	ἰδοὺ	idou	Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular	G2400 See! Lo! Behold! Look!
how small	ἡλίκον	hēlikon	Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular	G2245 of what size, how much
a spark	πῦρ	pyr	Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular	G4442 fire, trials
sets	ἀνάπτει	anaptei	Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular	G381 I kindle, set on fire
a great	ἡλίκην	hēlikēn	Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular	G2245 of what size, how much
forest	ὕλην	hylēn	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G5208 wood, fuel

James 3:6

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The	ἡ	hē	Article - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
tongue	γλῶσσα	glōssa	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G1100 the tongue, a language, nation
also	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
a fire	πῦρ	pyr	Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular	G4442 fire, trials
a	ὁ	ho	Article - Nominative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
world	κόσμος	kosmos	Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular	G2889 the world, universe
of wickedness	ἀδικίας	adikias	Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular	G93 unrighteousness
among	ἐν	en	Preposition	G1722 in, on, among
the	τοῖς	tois	Article - Dative Neuter Plural	G3588 the
parts	μέλεσιν	melesin	Noun - Dative Neuter Plural	G3196 a limb, member
of the	ἡμῶν	hēmōn	Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural	G1473 I
It pollutes	σπιλοῦσα	spilousa	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular	G4695 I defile, spot
the	τὸ	to	Article - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3588 the
whole	ὅλον	holon	Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular	G3650 all, the whole, entire
person	σῶμα	sōma	Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular	G4983 body, flesh
sets	φλογίζουσα	phlogizousa	Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular	G5394 I inflame, fire with passion
the	τὸν	ton	Article - Accusative Masculine Singular	G3588 the
course	τροχὸν	trochon	Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular	G5164 a wheel, course
of his life	γενέσεως	geneseōs	Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular	G1078 birth, lineage
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
is itself set on fire	φλογιζομένη	phlogizomenē	Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular	G5394 I inflame, fire with passion
by	ὑπὸ	hypo	Preposition	G5259 by, under, about
hell	γεέννης	geennēs	Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular	G1067 Gehenna

James 3:7

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
All	Πᾶσα	Pasa	Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3956 all, the whole, every kind of
kinds	φύσις	physis	Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular	G5449 nature, inherent nature
of animals	θηρίων	thēriōn	Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural	G2342 a wild beast, animal
birds	πετεινῶν	peteinōn	Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural	G4071 a bird
reptiles	ἑρπετῶν	herpetōn	Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural	G2062 a creeping creature, reptile
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
creatures of the sea	ἐναλίων	enaliōn	Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural	G1724 living in the sea
are being tamed	δαμάζεται	damazetai	Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1150 I tame, subdue
and	καὶ	kai	Conjunction	G2532 and, even, also, namely
have been tamed	δεδάμασται	dedamastai	Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1150 I tame, subdue
by	τῇ	tē	Article - Dative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
man	ἀνθρωπίνῃ	anthrōpinē	Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular	G442 belonging to human beings, human

James 3:8

English	Greek	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
but	δὲ	de	Conjunction	G1161 but, on the other hand, and
no	οὐδεὶς	oudeis	Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular	G3762 no one, none, nothing
man	ἀνθρώπων	anthrōpōn	Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural	G444 a man, one of the human race
can	δύναται	dynatai	Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular	G1410 I am powerful, am able
tame	δαμάσαι	damasai	Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active	G1150 I tame, subdue
the	τὴν	tēn	Article - Accusative Feminine Singular	G3588 the
tongue	γλῶσσαν	glōssan	Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular	G1100 the tongue, a language, nation
a restless	ἀκατάστατον	akatastaton	Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular	G182 unsettled, unstable
evil	κακόν	kakon	Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular	G2556 bad, evil
full	μεστὴ	mestē	Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular	G3324 full
of deadly	θανατηφόρου	thanatēphorou	Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2287 death-bringing, deadly
poison	ἰοῦ	iou	Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular	G2447 poison, rust

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

James 3:5 Proverbs 18:21 · Proverbs 12:18 · Jeremiah 9:3–8 · Proverbs 15:2 · Psalm 17:10 · Psalm 73:8–9 · Psalm 12:2–4 · Psalm 52:1–2 · Jude 1:16 · Jeremiah 18:18 · Revelation 13:5–6 · Psalm 10:3

James 3:6 Psalm 120:2–3 · Proverbs 16:27 · Mark 7:15 · Matthew 15:11–20 · Proverbs 15:1 · Mark 7:20–22 · Luke 16:24 · Colossians 3:8–9 · Matthew 12:32–36 · Psalm 64:3 · Psalm 140:3 · Proverbs 6:19

James 3:8 Romans 3:13 · Psalm 140:3 · Psalm 55:21 · James 3:6 · Psalm 57:4 · Psalm 64:3–4 · Psalm 58:4 · Psalm 59:7 · Ecclesiastes 10:11 · Deuteronomy 32:33

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.