Parallel Verses
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
even so the tongue is little member and boasteth great things. Behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth,
New American Standard Bible
So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it
King James Version
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Holman Bible
So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things.
International Standard Version
In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it can boast of great achievements. A huge forest can be set on fire by a little flame.
A Conservative Version
So also the tongue is a little body-part, and boasts greatly. Behold a little fire, how much wood it kindles.
American Standard Version
So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire!
Amplified
In the same sense, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.
See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark!
An Understandable Version
So, the tongue is a small part [of the body], yet it boasts of great accomplishments. Look at how large a forest is burned up by even a tiny spark.
Anderson New Testament
So, also, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a forest does a little fire set in a blaze.
Bible in Basic English
Even so the tongue is a small part of the body, but it takes credit for great things. How much wood may be lighted by a very little fire!
Common New Testament
So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
Daniel Mace New Testament
so the tongue is but a small part of the body, yet how grand are its pretensions. a spark of fire! what quantities of timber will it blow into a flame?
Darby Translation
Thus also the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how little a fire, how large a wood it kindles!
Godbey New Testament
so also the tongue is a little member, and it boasts great things. Behold, how great a wood a little fire kindles!
Goodspeed New Testament
So the tongue is a little organ and yet very boastful. What a great forest a spark will set on fire!
John Wesley New Testament
So the tongue also is a little member, yet boasteth great things. Behold how much matter a little fire kindleth.
Julia Smith Translation
So also the tongue is a small member, and vaunts itself. Behold, how great a wood a little fire inflames
King James 2000
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a forest a little fire kindles!
Lexham Expanded Bible
So also the tongue is a small member [of the body] and boasts great [things]. Behold how small a fire sets ablaze how great a forest!
Modern King James verseion
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. Behold how little a fire kindles how large a forest!
Moffatt New Testament
So the tongue is a small member of the body, but it can boast of great exploits. What a forest is set ablaze by a little spark of fire!
Montgomery New Testament
So also the tongue is a small member and makes great boasts. Behold, how great a forest is set on fire by a little spark!
NET Bible
So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze.
New Heart English Bible
So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest.
Noyes New Testament
So also the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a forest a little fire kindleth!
Sawyer New Testament
so also the tongue is a small member and boasts of great things. Behold, how much wood a little fire kindles!
The Emphasized Bible
So, also, the tongue, is, a little member, and yet, of great things, maketh boast. Lo! how small a fire, kindleth, how great a forest;
Thomas Haweis New Testament
So also the tongue is a little member, and proudly vaunts. Behold how great a pile of wood, a little fire kindleth!
Twentieth Century New Testament
So is it with the tongue. Small as it is, it is a great boaster. Think how tiny a spark may set the largest forest ablaze!
Webster
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Weymouth New Testament
In the same way the tongue is an insignificant part of the body, but it is immensely boastful. Remember how a mere spark may set a vast forest in flames.
Williams New Testament
So the tongue, too, is a little organ but can boast of great achievements. See how a spark, ever so tiny, can set a vast forest on fire!
World English Bible
So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest!
Worrell New Testament
So also the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how small a fire kindles how great a forest!
Worsley New Testament
So the tongue is a small part of the body, yet boasteth great things. Behold how much fuel a little fire kindleth!
Youngs Literal Translation
so also the tongue is a little member, and doth boast greatly; lo, a little fire how much wood it doth kindle!
Themes
Boasting » Boasting, the folly of
Fire » Characterized as » Spreading
Fire » Though small, kindles a great matter
Interlinear
References
Fausets
Watsons
Word Count of 37 Translations in James 3:5
Verse Info
Context Readings
Restraining The Tongue
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the violence of the governor will: 5 even so the tongue is little member and boasteth great things. Behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth, 6 and the tongue is fire, and a world of wickedness. So is the tongue set among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth afire all that we have of nature, and is itself set afire, even of hell.
Cross References
Psalm 73:8-9
They corrupt others, and speak blasphemies maliciously; proud and presumptuous are their words.
Psalm 10:3
For the ungodly hath made boast of his own heart's desire, and speaketh good of the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.
Psalm 12:2-4
They talk of vanity every one with his neighbour; they do but flatter with their lips, and dissemble in their double heart.
Psalm 17:10
They are enclosed in their own fat, and their mouth speaketh proud things.
Psalm 52:1-2
{To the Chanter, an exhortation of David when Doeg the Edomite came to Saul, and showed him, saying: David is come to the house of Abimelech} Thy boastest thou thyself, thou tyrant, that thou canst do mischief, whereas the goodness of God endureth yet daily?
Proverbs 12:18
A slanderous person pricketh like a sword; but a wise man's tongue is wholesome.
Proverbs 15:2
A wise tongue commendeth knowledge; a foolish mouth babbleth out nothing but foolishness.
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life stand in the power of the tongue; he that loveth it, shall enjoy the fruit thereof.
Jeremiah 9:3-8
They bend their tongues like bows, to shoot out lies: As for the truth, they may nothing away with all in the world. For they go from one wickedness to another, and hold nothing of me, sayeth the LORD.
Jeremiah 18:18
Then said they, "Come, let us imagine something against this Jeremiah." Yea, this did even the priests, to whom the law was committed: the Senators, that were the wisest: and the prophets, which wanted not the word of God. "Come," said they, "let us cut out his tongue, and let us not regard his words."
Ezekiel 28:2
"Thou son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Because thou hast a proud heart and hast said, 'I am a God, I have my seat in the midst of the sea like a God,' whereas thou art but a man, and not God, and yet standest in thine own conceit, that thou art God:
Revelation 13:5-6
And there was a mouth given unto him that spake great things, and blasphemies, and power was given unto him, to continue forty two months.
Exodus 5:2
And Pharaoh answered, "What fellow is the LORD, that I should hear his voice for to let Israel go?
Exodus 15:9
The enemy said, 'I will follow and overtake them, and will divide the spoil: I will satisfy my lust upon them: I will draw my sword, and mine hand shall destroy them.'
2 Kings 19:22-24
Whom hast thou railed on, and whom hast thou reviled? Against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and hast lift up thine eyes so high? Even against the holy one of Israel!
Job 21:14-15
They say unto God, 'Go from us: we desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
Job 22:17
which said unto God, 'Go from us.' And what did the Almighty do with them?
Ezekiel 29:3
Speak, and tell him, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Behold, O Pharaoh thou king of Egypt, I will upon thee, thou great dragon that liest in the waters; thou that sayest, 'The water is mine; I have made it myself.'
Daniel 3:15
Well, be ready hereafter, when ye hear the noise of the trumpets blow with the harps, shawmes psalteries, symphonies and all the other melodies: that ye fall down, and worship the Image which I have made. But if ye worship it not, ye shall be cast immediately in to a hot burning oven. Let's see what God is there, that may deliver you out of my hands!"
Daniel 4:30
and said, "This is the great city of Babylon, which I myself, with my power and strength, have made a king's court, for the honour of my majesty."
2 Peter 2:18
For when they have spoken the swelling words of vanity, they beguile with wantonness through the lusts of the flesh them that were clean escaped: but now are wrapped in errors.
Jude 1:16
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, whose mouths speak proud things. They have men in great reverence because of advantage.