James 1:26 BSB — MannaFest

James 1:26

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man’s religion is vain.

KJV

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

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Commentary

1 voice

Basil of Caesarea

SERMONS 10 (379)

Anger causes tongues to become unbridled and speech unguarded. Physical violence, acts of contempt, reviling, accusations, blows and other bad effects too numerous to recount are born of anger and indignation.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Censuring is a pleasing sin, extremely complaint with nature, and therefore evinces a man's being in a natural state. These sins of the tongue were the great sins of that age in which James wrote (as other parts of this epistle fully show); and it is a strong sing of a vain religion (says Dr. Manton) to be carried away with the evil of the times.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

Seem to be religious - The words θρησκος and θρησκεια, which we translate religious and religion, (see the next verse), are of very uncertain etymology. Suidas, under the word θρησκευει, which he translates θεοσεβει, ὑπηρετει τοις θεοις, he worships or serves the gods, accounts for the derivation thus: “It is said that Orpheus, a Thracian, instituted the mysteries (or religious rites) of the Greeks, and called the worshipping of God θρησκευειν threskeuein, as being a Thracian invention.” Whatever its derivation may be, the word is used both to signify true religion, and superstition or heterodoxy.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

17 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Εἴ	Ei	If	G1487 →
τις	tis	anyone	G5100 →
δοκεῖ	dokei	seems	G1380 →
θρησκὸς	thrēskos	religious	G2357 →
εἶναι	einai	to be	G1511 →
μὴ	mē	not	G3361 →
χαλιναγωγῶν	chalinagōgōn	bridling	G5468 →
γλῶσσαν	glōssan	[the] tongue	G1100 →
αὐτοῦ	autou	of him	G846 →
ἀλλ᾽	all᾽	but	G235 →
ἀπατῶν	apatōn	deceiving	G538 →
καρδίαν	kardian	[the] heart	G2588 →
αὐτοῦ,	autou	of him,	G846 →
τούτου	toutou	of this one	G3778 →
μάταιος	mataios	worthless [is]	G3152 →
ἡ	hē	the	G3588 →
θρησκεία.	thrēskeia	religion.	G2356 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Ephesians 4:29
Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
leads to
- Colossians 4:6
  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
  Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12
  The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
- Proverbs 15:7
  The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the hearts of fools.
- Colossians 3:8–9
  But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Through
1 Peter 3:10
For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
leads to
- Psalms 34:12–16
  Who is the man who delights in life, who desires to see good days?
Through
Ephesians 5:4
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.
leads to
- Colossians 3:8
  But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Through
Psalms 141:3
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
leads to
- Psalms 39:1
  I said, “I will watch my ways so that I will not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are present.”

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01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About James

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About James