The Bible › Webster Bible › James 3
James 3:5
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
James 3:5 · Webster Bible
James 3:5 in other translations
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
In 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.
So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest!
Every translation above is public domain and free to share. Other versions — NIV · ESV · NKJV · NLT · NASB · CSB · AMP — are copyrighted and open on their publishers’ partner site.
In context
2 For in many things we all offend. If any man offendeth not in word, the same [is] a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the mouths of horses, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they are so great, and [are] driven by fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small helm, withersoever the governor willeth.
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 from hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of animals in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Read James 3 in the app The whole chapter