James 3:8
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. | but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. | but the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| but | δὲ | de | G1161 | thenδέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; … |
| tongue | γλῶσσαν | glōssan | G1100 | tongueγλῶσσα (glōssa) γλῶσσα, -ης, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for לָשׁוֹן ;] 1. the tongue, as the organ of speech: Mrk.7:33, 35 Luk.1:64 16:24, Act.2:26" (LXX), Rom.3:13 (LXX) 14:11 (LXX), 1Co.14:9, Php.2:11, Jas.1:26 3:5, 6 8, 1Pe.3:10" (LXX), 1Jo.3:18, Rev.16:10; of a tongue-like object, Act.2:3. … |
| no [one] | οὐδεὶς | oudeis | G3762 | noneοὐδείς (oudeis) οὐδείς, -δεμία, -δέν (also in WH, txt., the Hellenistic forms -θείς, -θέν, Luk.22:35 23:14, Act.15:9 19:27 26:26, 1Co.13:2, 2Co.11:8; cf. BL, §6, 7; M, Pr., 56n, Thackeray, Gr., 58), related to μηδείς as οὐ to μή, … |
| to subdue | δαμάσαι | damasai | G1150 | to tameδαμάζω (damazō) δαμάζω [in LXX: Dan.2:40 (חֲשַׁל) * ;] to tame, subdue: Mrk.5:4, Jas.3:7; metaphorically, τ. γλῶσσαν, Jas.3:8 (Field, Notes, 237f.).† (AS) |
| is able | δύναται | dunatai | G1410 | be ableδύναμαι (dunamai) δύναμαι, depon., [in LXX chiefly for יָכֹל ;] to be able, have power, whether by personal ability, permission, or opportunity: with inf. (M, Pr., 205; WM, §44, 3) pres., Mat.6:24, Mrk.2:7, Jhn.3:2, 1Co.10:21, al.; with inf. aor., Mat.3:9, Mrk.1:45, Jhn.3:3, 4 Rom.8:39, al.; with accusative, to be able to do something: Mrk.9:22, Luk.12:26; 2Co.13:8; absol., to be able, capable, powerful: 1Co.3:2 10:13. (AS) |
| of men; | ἀνθρώπων· | anthrōpōn | G0444 | a humanἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) ἄνθρωπος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ ,אָדָם, also for אֱנוֹשׁ, etc. ;] man: 1. generically, a human being, male or female (Lat. homo): Jhn.16:21; with art., Mat.4:4 12:35, Mrk.2:27, Jhn.2:25, Rom.7:1, al; disting. from God, Mat.19:6, Jhn.10:33, Col.3:23, al.; from animals, etc., Mat.4:19, Luk.5:10, Rev.9:4, al.; implying human frailty and imperfection, 1Co.3:4; σοφία ἀνθρώπων, 1Co.2:5; ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.4:2; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖν, 1Co.3:3; κατὰ ἄ. λέγειν (λαλεῖν), Rom.3:5, 1Co.9:8; κατὰ ἄ- λέγειν, Gal.3:15 (cf. 1Co.15:32, Gal.1:11); by meton., of man's nature or condition, ὁ … |
| [it is] an unruly | ἀκατάστατον | akatastaton | G0182 | restlessἀκατάστατος (akatastatos) ἀ-κατά-στατος, -ον (καθίστημι), [in LXX: Isa.54:11 (סֹעֲרָה) ;] unsettled, unstable: Jas.1:8, 3:8.† (AS) |
| evil, | κακόν, | kakon | G2556G | evil/harm: evilκακός (kakos) κακός, -ή, -όν [in LXX chiefly for רַע ;] 1. in general, opposite to ἀγαθός, καλός, in various senses, bad, mean, base, worthless (cl.). 2. In ethical sense, base, evil, wicked: of persons, Mat.21:41 24:48, Php.3:2, Rev.2:2; διαλογισμοί, Mrk.7:21; ὁμιλίαι, 1Co.15:33; ἐπιθυμία (Pro.12:12), Col.3:5; ἔργον, Rom.13:3; neut., κακόν, τὸ κ., evil: Jhn.18:23, Act.23:9, Rom.7:21 14:20 16:19, 1Co.13:5, Heb.5:14, 1Pe.3:10-11, 3Jn.11; pl., Rom.1:30, 1Co.10:6, 1Ti.6:10, Jas.1:13; κ. (τὸ, τὰ κ.) ποιεῖν (πράσσειν), Mat.27:23, Mrk.15:14, Luk.23:22, Jhn.18:30, Rom.3:8 7:19 13:4, 2Co.13:7, 1Pe.3:12; κατεργάζ … |
| full | μεστὴ | mestē | G3324 | fullμεστός (mestos) μεστός, -ή, -όν [in LXX: Nam.1:10, Eze.37:1 (מָלֵא), Est.5:2, Pro.6:34 * ;] full: with genitive of thing(s), Jhn.19:29 21:11, Jas.3:8; metaphorically, of thoughts and feelings, Mat.23:28, Rom.1:29 15:14, 2Pe.2:14, Jas.3:17 (cf. Pr, l.with).† (AS) |
| of poison | ἰοῦ | iou | G2447 | poison/rustἰός (ios) ἰός, -οῦ, ὁ [in LXX: Eze.24:6, 11-12 (חֶלְאָה), Psa.140:3 (חֵמָה), al. ;] 1. an arrow. 2. rust (Ez, l.with): Jas.5:3 (cf. MM, Exp., xv). 3. poison: figuratively, Rom.3:13 (Ps. l.with), Jas.3:8.† (AS) |
| deadly. | θανατηφόρου. | thanatēphorou | G2287 | deadlyθανατήφορος (thanatēphoros) θανατη-φόρος, -ον (θάνατος, φέρω), [in LXX: Num.18:22 (מוּת), Job.33:23, 4Ma.8:18 4Mac 8:26 4Mac 15:26 * ;] deadly, death-bringing: Jas.3:8.† (AS) |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.