James 3:5
in James 3In 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire!
KJV
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
⋯
This verse in James 3
Commentary
15 notes on this verseThe sword kills the body, but the tongue kills the soul. The tongue knows no moderation—either it is a great good or it is a great evil. It is a great good when it acknowledges that Christ is God, and a great evil when it denies that. Let no one deceive himself into thinking that he has never sinned, for if I have sinned, it is with my tongue. What more monstrous sin is there than blasphemy against God? The devil did not fall because he committed theft, murder or adultery; he fell because of his tongue.
This site's exposition
the tongue is a small part of the body
on James 3:5-6
The tongue, small in size, boasts of great things, as a spark sets a great forest ablaze. It is a fire and a world of wickedness that sets the course of his life on fire, trochos geneseos, the wheel of existence.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Desert FathersThe Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks · Written before 500.
proposed
Pambo said to Antony, 'What shall I do?' Antony said, 'Do not trust in your own righteousness. Do not go on sorrowing over a deed that is past. Keep your tongue and your belly under control.'
The more the tongue has sinned, the more it is miserable.
In attacking what they say, James singles out the tongue, which is the instrument of speech. But since their thoughts are present in the body as a whole, it ought to be understood that his remarks apply to the entire body.
So the tongue also is certainly a little member, and boasts great things. Behold how much fire what a great wood it kindles? "So the tongue also." As if it were said: In the same way, the tongue must be rightly moved, which, although it …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Thus also the tongue is indeed a small member, and it exalts great things. Certainly, it exalts great rewards if the force of the guiding mind rightly governs it. According to that of Solomon: He who understands possesses the steerage. But if it governs badly, …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Behold how great a fire a small forest kindles. How much he says how small. Indeed, the manuscripts also have it so: Behold a small fire. Just as from a small spark the growing fire often kindles a great forest, so the incontinence of the …
The expression "even so the tongue" (Jas. 3:5) means precisely this: that the tongue must be directed by sound reason, for although it is small, it does great things — it kindles for us a great fire, because it itself is fire. And what else …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Observe hence, There is a great pollution and defilement in sins of the tongue. Defiling passions are kindled, vented, and cherished by this unruly member. And the whole body is often drawn into sin and guilt by the tongue.
Even so the tongue is a little member,....
As the helm is a very small part of the ship, so is the tongue a very small part of the body: but the right governing of the helm or rudder will steer and turn the ship as the governor pleases; and a right management of the tongue is, in a great measure, the government of the whole man.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Even so the tongue is a little member - Little compared with the body, as the bit or the rudder is, compared with the horse or the ship. And boasteth great things - The design of the apostle is to illustrate the power and influence of the tongue. This may be done in a great many respects: and the apostle does it by referring to its boasting; to the effects which it produces, resembling that of fire, Jas 3:6; to its untameableness, Jas 3:8-9; and to its giving utterance to the most inconsistent and incongruous thoughts, Jas 3:9-
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
boasteth great things--There is great moment in what the careless think "little" things [BENGEL]. Compare "a world," "the course of nature," "hell," Jas 3:6, which illustrate how the little tongue's great words produce great mischief. how great a matter a little fire kindleth--The best manuscripts read, "how little a fire kindleth how great a," &c.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Boasteth great things - That is, can do great things, whether of a good or evil kind. He seems to refer here to the powerful and all commanding eloquence of the Greek orators: they could carry the great mob whithersoever they wished; calm them to peaceableness and submission, or excite them to furious sedition. Behold, how great a matter - See what a flame of discord and insubordination one man, merely by his persuasive tongue, may kindle among the common people.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Οὕτως | houtos | Thus | G3779 → | 208 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γλῶσσα | glossa | tongue | G1100 → | 49 times |
| μικρὸν | mikron | a small | G3398 → | |
| μέλος | melos | member | G3196 → | 34 times |
| ἐστὶν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μεγάλα | megala | exceeding things | G3173 → | 243 times |
| αὐχεῖ. | auchei | it boasts. | ||
| ἰδοὺ | idou | Behold | G2400 → | 200 times |
| ἡλίκον | helikon | a great | G2245 → | |
| πῦρ | pur | fire | G4442 → | 70 times |
| ἡλίκην | heliken | how great | G2245 → | |
| ὕλην | hulen | a forest | G5208 → | |
| ἀνάπτει· | anaptei | it kindles; | G381 → |
ΟὕτωςThus
houtosG3779 →208 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
γλῶσσαtongue
glossaG1100 →49 times
μικρὸνa small
mikronG3398 →
μέλοςmember
melosG3196 →34 times
ἐστὶνis
estinG1510 →2333 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μεγάλαexceeding things
megalaG3173 →243 times
αὐχεῖ.it boasts.
auchei
ἰδοὺBehold
idouG2400 →200 times
ἡλίκονa great
helikonG2245 →
πῦρfire
purG4442 →70 times
ἡλίκηνhow great
helikenG2245 →
ὕληνa forest
hulenG5208 →
ἀνάπτει·it kindles;
anapteiG381 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 18:21Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
it leads to
- 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.
- Matthew 12:35–37
The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure.
- Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
- Proverbs 10:19–21
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- James 3:6–9
The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on…
- Ephesians 4:29
Through
Proverbs 12:18Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
it leads to
- Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
- Proverbs 15:4
A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
- Proverbs 10:20–21
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked has little worth.
- Proverbs 16:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
About James
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Desert Fathers, The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks; Didymus the Blind, COMMENTARY ON JAMES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, SERMONS 41; Jerome, SERMONS 86; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on James and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on James.