James 3

James · Chapter 3

James 3:11

1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.3Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:8But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.13Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter?

In context

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James 3:1-12Taming the tongue

About James 3"Be not many masters," James warns, for teachers "shall receive the greater condemnation," and anyone who does not offend "in word" is "a perfect man." The tongue is like a bit or a helm, small but steering much: "the tongue is a fire," which "can no man tame," and "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing." True wisdom is shown by good conduct "with meekness," and "the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits." James 3:1James 3:2James 3:3James 3:4James 3:6James 3:8James 3:10James 3:13James 3:17James overview

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
surely not everμήτιmētiG3385
surely not

μήτι (mēti) μή-τι interrog. particle, expecting a negative answer: Mat.7:16 26:22, 25, Mrk.4:21 14:19, Luk.6:39, Jhn.8:22 18:35, Act.10:47, 2Co.12:18, Jas.3:11; in hesitant questions (see M, Pr., 170.), μ οὗτός ἐστιν, can this be, Mat.12:23, Jhn.4:29; μ. ἄρα, 2Co.1:17; On εἰ μήτι (Luk.9:13, cf. Bl., § 65, 6), see: εἰ.† εἰ, conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions. I. Conditional, if; 1. with indic, expressing a general assumption; …

springπηγὴpēgēG4077
flow

πηγή (pēgē) πηγή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for עַיִן, also for מָקוֹר, etc. ;] a spring, fountain : Jas.3:11, 2Pe.2:17; τ. δάτων, Rev.8:10 14:7 16:4; of a well fed by a spring, Jhn.4:6; π. τοῦ αἵματος, of a flow of blood, Mrk.5:29; metaphorically, Jhn.4:14, Rev.7:17 21:6.† (AS)

outἐκekG1537
out from

ἐκ (ek) ἐκ (ἐξ), prep. with genitive, from out of, from (see Addendum, p. 492). This entry is included here, but in the print version the entry is found on p. 492. ἐκ, before a vowel ἐξ, prep. with genitive, of motion outwards, separation from (opposite to εἰς; = Lat. e, ex), from out of, from among, from. I. Of Place, …

sameαὐτῆςautēsG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

openingὀπῆςopēsG3692
hole

ὀπή (opē) ὀπή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX for חוֹר, חֲגָו, etc. ;] an opening, a hole: Jas.3:11 (cf. Exo.33:22), Heb.11:33 (cf. Ob 3).† (AS)

pours forthβρύειbrueiG1032
to pour

βρύω (bruō) βρύω, poët., late prose and vernac., to be full to bursting; 1. of the earth producing vegetation. 2. Of plants putting forth buds. 3. Of springs, to gush with water: Jas.3:11. † (AS)

[both] freshγλυκὺglukuG1099
sweet

γλυκύς (glukus) γλυκύς, -εῖα, -ύ, [in LXX chiefly for מָתוֹק ;] Jas.3:11, 12; opposite to πικρόν, ἁλυκόν, Rev.10:9, 10.† (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

bitter?πικρόν;pikronG4089
bitter

πικρός (pikros) πικρός, -ά, -όν (poët. in cl.), [in LXX chiefly for מַר ;] 1. sharp, pointed. 2. sharp to the senses; of taste, bitter: opposite to γλυκύ, Jas.3:11; metaphorically, harsh, bitter: Jas.3:14 (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.