Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it (A)boasts of great things.

(B)See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And (C)the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which (D)defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our [a]life, and is set on fire by [b](E)hell.

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Footnotes

  1. James 3:6 Or existence, origin
  2. James 3:6 Gr Gehenna

Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.(A) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire,(B) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,(C) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.(D)

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