KJV King James Version
But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
James 3:8
But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
WEB World English Bible
But nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
ASV American Standard Version
but the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
and the tongue no one of men is able to subdue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison,
Surrounding context — James 3
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And 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.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter?
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
τὴνG3588 · hothe/this/whoδὲG1161 · dethenγλῶσσανG1100 · glōssatongueοὐδεὶςG3762 · oudeisnoneδαμάσαιG1150 · damazōto tameδύναταιG1410 · dunamaibe ableἀνθρώπων·G444 · anthrōposa humanἀκατάστατονG182 · akatastatosrestlessκακόν,G2556 · kakosevil/harm: evilμεστὴG3324 · mestosfullἰοῦG2447 · iospoison/rustθανατηφόρου.G2287 · thanatēphorosdeadly
Cross-references
Romans 3:13Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips:Psalm 140:3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison [is] under their lips. Selah.Psalm 55:21[The words] of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war [was] in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet [were] they drawn swords.James 3:6And 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.Psalm 57:4My soul [is] among lions: [and] I lie [even among] them that are set on fire, [even] the sons of men, whose teeth [are] spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.Psalm 64:3-4Who whet their tongue like a sword, [and] bend [their bows to shoot] their arrows, [even] bitter words:Psalm 59:7Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords [are] in their lips: for who, [say they], doth hear?Psalm 58:4Their poison [is] like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder [that] stoppeth her ear;Ecclesiastes 10:11Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.Deuteronomy 32:33Their wine [is] the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.Revelation 12:9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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