Focused Passage

James 3:7-12

The Tongue, True Wisdom, and Peaceable Righteousness

James moves from warning teachers about stricter judgment, to exposing the destructive power and inconsistency of the tongue, to contrasting false wisdom marked by envy and selfish ambition with heavenly wisdom that produces peaceable righteousness.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,

8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.

10 Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!

11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

12 My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Cross-references

Genesis 1:26 Classic cross-references Genesis 9:2 Classic cross-references Genesis 1:26–27 OliveGrove study links

Original words

- γὰρ G1063 Conjunction All Πᾶσα G3956 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular kinds φύσις G5449 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular - τε G5037 Conjunction of animals θηρίων G2342 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction birds πετεινῶν G4071 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural - τε G5037 Conjunction reptiles ἑρπετῶν G2062 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction creatures of the sea ἐναλίων G1724 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural are being tamed δαμάζεται G1150 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction have been tamed δεδάμασται G1150 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular by τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular man ἀνθρωπίνῃ G442 Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular . . . φύσει G5449 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular

Verse 8

Cross-references

Romans 3:13 Classic cross-references Psalms 140:3 Classic cross-references Psalms 55:21 Classic cross-references James 3:6 Classic cross-references Psalms 57:4 Classic cross-references Genesis 1:26–27 OliveGrove study links

Original words

but δὲ G1161 Conjunction no οὐδεὶς G3762 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular man ἀνθρώπων G444 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural can δύναται G1410 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular tame δαμάσαι G1150 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular tongue γλῶσσαν G1100 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular [It is] a restless ἀκατάστατον G182 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular evil κακόν G2556 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular full μεστὴ G3324 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular of deadly θανατηφόρου G2287 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular poison ἰοῦ G2447 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

Verse 9

Cross-references

Genesis 1:26 Classic cross-references Psalms 10:7 Classic cross-references Genesis 9:6 Classic cross-references Isaiah 29:13 Classic cross-references Psalms 62:4 Classic cross-references Genesis 1:26–27 OliveGrove study links

Original words

With Ἐν G1722 Preposition [the tongue] αὐτῇ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular we bless εὐλογοῦμεν G2127 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural our τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Lord Κύριον G2962 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction Father Πατέρα G3962 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction with ἐν G1722 Preposition it αὐτῇ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 3rd Person Singular we curse καταρώμεθα G2672 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural - τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural men ἀνθρώπους G444 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural who τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural have been made γεγονότας G1096 Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Plural in καθ’ G2596 Preposition God’s Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular likeness ὁμοίωσιν G3669 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

Verse 10

Cross-references

Romans 12:14 Classic cross-references 1 Peter 3:9 Classic cross-references Luke 6:28 Classic cross-references Psalms 50:16 Classic cross-references 1 Corinthians 3:3 Classic cross-references Genesis 1:26–27 OliveGrove study links

Original words

Out of ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular same αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Singular mouth στόματος G4750 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular come ἐξέρχεται G1831 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular blessing εὐλογία G2129 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction cursing κατάρα G2671 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular brothers ἀδελφοί G80 Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural this ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural should χρή G5534 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular not οὐ G3756 Adverb be γίνεσθαι G1096 Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive - οὕτως G3779 Adverb

Verse 11

Cross-references

Genesis 1:26–27 OliveGrove study links

Original words

[Can] μήτι G3385 IntPrtcl - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular [both] fresh [water] γλυκὺ G1099 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular salt [water] πικρόν G4089 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular flow βρύει G1032 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular from ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular same αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular - ὀπῆς G3692 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - ἡ G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular spring πηγὴ G4077 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular

BSB notes

Literally Can both fresh and bitter

Verse 12

Cross-references

Matthew 7:16 Classic cross-references Luke 6:43 Classic cross-references Matthew 12:33 Classic cross-references Luke 6:44 Classic cross-references Genesis 1:11 Classic cross-references Genesis 1:26–27 OliveGrove study links

Original words

My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular brothers ἀδελφοί G80 Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb can δύναται G1410 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular a fig tree συκῆ G4808 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular grow ποιῆσαι G4160 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active olives ἐλαίας G1636 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural or ἢ G2228 Conjunction a grapevine ἄμπελος G288 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular [bear] figs σῦκα G4810 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural Neither [can] οὔτε G3777 Conjunction a salt [spring] ἁλυκὸν G252 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular produce ποιῆσαι G4160 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active fresh γλυκὺ G1099 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular water ὕδωρ G5204 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular

BSB notes

Literally Neither can salt

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