James 3:4
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Behold 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. | Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined. | Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth. |
In context
AI-assisted, sourcedJames 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
Original Greek words
| English | Greek | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behold | ἰδοὺ | idou | G2400 | look!ἰδού (idou) ἰδού, [in LXX chiefly for הִנֵּה,] prop. imperat. 2 aor. mid. of ὁράω, used as a demonstrative particle, with frequency much greater in LXX and NT than in cl. (see M, Pr., 11), lo, behold, see: Mat.10:16 11:8 13:3, Mrk.3:32, Luk.2:48, 1Co.15:51, Jas.5:9, Ju 14, Rev.1:7, al.; after genitive absol., Mat.1:20 2:1, 13 12:46, al.; καὶ ἰδού, Mat.2:9 (and freq.), Luk.1:20 10:25, Act.12:7, al.; in elliptical sentences, taking the place of copula or predicate (like הִנֵּה in Heb.), Mat.3:17, Luk.5:12 22:31, 47 Act.8:27, 36 al. (AS) |
| also | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (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. … |
| ships, | πλοῖα, | ploia | G4143 | boatπλοῖον (ploion) πλοῖον, -ον, τό (πλέω), [in LXX chiefly for אֳנִיָּה ;] a boat, also (= obsolete ναῦς) a ship: Mat.4:21-22, and frequently in Gosp. and Ac, Jas.3:4, Rev.8:9 18:19. (AS) |
| so great | τηλικαῦτα | tēlikauta | G5082 | so greatτηλικοῦτος (tēlikoutos) τηλικοῦτος, -αύτη, -οῦτο (altern. of τηλικόσδε, -ήδε, -όνδε, strengthened form of τηλίκος), [in LXX: 2Ma.12:3, 3Ma.3:9, 4Ma.16:4 * ;] 1. of persons, (a) of such an age, so old; (b) so young. 2. Of things, so great: 2Co.1:10, Heb.2:3, Jas.3:4, Rev.16:18.† (AS) |
| being | ὄντα | onta | G1510 | you areεἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. … |
| and | καὶ | kai | G2532 | andκαί (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. … |
| by | ὑπὸ | hupo | G5259G | by/under: byὑπό (hupo) ὑπό (before smooth breathing ὑπ᾽, Mat.8:9b, Luk.7:8b; before rough breathing ὑφ᾽, Rom.3:9; on the neglect of elision in Mt, Lk, ll. witha, Gal.3:22, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., iv), prep. with genitive, dative (not in NT), accusative … |
| winds | ἀνέμων | anemōn | G0417 | windἄνεμος (anemos) ἄνεμος, -ου, ὁ [in LXX for רוּחַ ;] wind: Mat.11:7 14:24, 30 14:32, Mrk.4:37, 39 4:41 6:48, 51, Luk.7:24 8:23-24, Jhn.6:13, Act.27:7, 14-15, Jas.3:4, Rev.6:13 7:1; pl., Mat.7:25, 27 8:26-27, Luk.8:25, Act.27:4, Ju 12; οἱ τέσσαρες ἄ. τῆς γῆς, Rev.7:1; hence the four quarters of the heavens (see Deiss., BS, 248; MM, VGT, see word), Mat.24:31, Mrk.13:27; metaphorically, of variable teaching, Eph 414.† SYN.: πνεῦμα, πνοή (and cf. θύελλα, λαῖλαψ). (AS) |
| strong | σκληρῶν | sklērōn | G4642 | hardσκληρός (sklēros) σκληρός, -ά, -όν (σκέλλω, to dry), [in LXX chiefly for קָשָׁה ;] hard to the touch, rough, harsh, (opposite to μαλακός); metaphorically, in various uses; (a) of men, hard, stern, severe: Mat.25:24; (b) of things, hard, rough, violent: σκληρόν σοι (ἐστι), Act.26:14; λόγος, Jhn.6:60; ἄνεμος, Jas.3:4; σκληρὰ λαλεῖν, Ju 15.† SYN.: αὐστηρός, q.v (AS) |
| being driven, | ἐλαυνόμενα, | elaunomena | G1643 | to driveἐλαύνω (elaunō) ἐλαύνω [in LXX: Isa.41:7 (הָלַם) Isa.33:21 (שַׁיִט), etc. ;] to drive: of the wind, Jas.3:4, 2Pe.2:17; of sailors rowing or sailing a boat, Mrk.6:48, Jhn.6:19; of demons, Luk.8:29 (cf. ἀπ-, συν-ελαύνω).† (AS) |
| are turned about | μετάγεται | metagetai | G3329 | to turnμετάγω (metagō) μετ-άγω [in LXX: 3Ki.8:47-48, 2Ch.6:37 (שָׁבָה) 2Ch.36:3 (סוּר hi.), 1Es.1:45 Est.2:10 Est.5:69, Est.8:17, Sir prol.16 Sir.10:8, 2Ma.1:33 * ;] 1. in Xen., Plut., and later writers, to transfer, transport (so LXX). 2. In sense otherwise unknown (see Hort, in l), to turn about, direct: Jas.3:3-4.† (AS) |
| by | ὑπὸ | hupo | G5259G | by/under: byὑπό (hupo) ὑπό (before smooth breathing ὑπ᾽, Mat.8:9b, Luk.7:8b; before rough breathing ὑφ᾽, Rom.3:9; on the neglect of elision in Mt, Lk, ll. witha, Gal.3:22, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., iv), prep. with genitive, dative (not in NT), accusative … |
| a very small | ἐλαχίστου | elachistou | G1646 | leastἐλάχιστος (elachistos) ἐλάχιστος, -η, -ον (see: ἐλάσσων), smallest, least: as proper superlat., 1Co.15:9; elsewhere, as usually in late Gk., intensive (B1., § 11, 3); Mat.2:6 (LXX) Mat.25:40, 45 Luk.12:26 16:10 19:17, 1Co.4:3 6:2, Jas.3:4; ἐ. ἐν τ. βασιλείᾳ τ. οὐρανῶν, Mat.5:19 (see Dalman, Words, 113). Compar., ἐλαχιστότερος (for corresp. superl., see LS; see also Bl., § 44, 3); less than the least: Eph.3:8.† (AS) |
| rudder | πηδαλίου | pēdaliou | G4079 | rudderπηδάλιον (pēdalion) πηδάλιον, -συ, τό (πηδός, the blade of an oar), a rudder: Jas.3:4; pl., Act.27:40.† (AS) |
| where | ὅπου | hopou | G3699 | where(-ever)ὅπου (hopou) ὅπου adv. of place, correlat. of ποῦ (which see), where. I. Prop., of place, 1. where; (a) in relative sentences, with indic: Mat.25:24, 26, Mrk.2:4 4:5, 15 5:40 13:14, Jhn.3:8 6:62 7:34, 36 11:32 14:3 17:24 20:19, Rom.15:20, Rev.2:13; after nouns of place, for relat. prepositional phrase (ἐν ᾧ., etc.), Mat.6:19-20 13:5 26:57 28:6, Mrk.6:55 9:48 Luk.12:33, Jhn.1:28 4:20, 46 6:23 7:42 10:40 11:30 12:1 18:1, 20 19:18, 20 19:41 20:12, Act.17:1, Rev.2:13 11:8 20:10; before ἐκεῖ., Mat.6:21, Luk.12:34 17:37 Jhn.12:26; id. pleonast. (= Heb. שָׁם . . . אֲשֶׁר; Aram. תַּמָּן . . דּ; of. Gen.13:3), … |
| ever | ἂν | an | G0302 | ifἄν (an) ἄν, conditional particle, which cannot usually be separately translated in English, its force depending on the constructions which contain it (see further, LS, see word; WM, §xlii; M, Pr., 165 ff.; MM, VGT, see word). 1. In apodosis, … |
| impulse | ὁρμὴ | hormē | G3730 | impulseὁρμή (hormē) ὁρμή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX: Pro.3:25 (שׁוֹא), etc. ;] 1. a violent movement, impulse: Jas.3:4; 2. a hostile movement, onset, assault. Act.14:5.† (AS) |
| is steering | εὐθύνοντος | euthunontos | G2116 | to straightenεὐθύνω (euthunō) εὐθύνω (εὐθύς), [in LXX: Num.22:23, Jos.24:23 (נָטָה hi.), Jdg.14:7, 1Ki.18:20 18:26 (יָשַׁר) Pro.20:24, Sir.2:2, 6, al. ;] 1. to direct: Jas.3:4. 2. to make straight: Jhn.1:23 (LXX, ἑτοιμάσατε).† (AS) |
| decides. | βούλεται.¶ | bouletai | G1014 | to planβούλομαι (boulomai) βούλομαι, [in LXX for חפץ, אבה, יעץ, etc. ;] to will, wish, desire, purpose, be minded, implying more strongly than θέλω (which see), the deliberate exercise of volition (see Hort on Jas.1:18): with inf. (M, Pr., 205; Bl., §69, 4), Mrk.15:15, Act.5:28, 33 12:4 15:37 17:20 18:15, 27 19:30 22:30 23:28 27:43 28:18, 2Co.1:15, 1Ti.6:9, Heb.6:17, II Jhn.12, 3Jo.10, Ju 5; with accusative, 2Co.1:17; with accusative and inf., Php.1:12, 1Ti.2:8 5:14, Tit.3:8, 2Pe.3:9; of the will making choice between alternatives, Mat.1:19 11:27, Luk.10:22, Act.25:20, 1Co.12:11, Jas.3:4 4:4; εἰ βούλει (cl., a courteo … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.