James 3:5

American Standard Version (1901)

So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire!

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Jer 9:3-8 : 3 And they bend their tongue, [as it were] their bow, for falsehood; and they are grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah. 4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders. 5 And they will deceive every one his neighbor, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves to commit iniquity. 6 Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith Jehovah. 7 Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how [else] should I do, because of the daughter of my people? 8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth wait for him.
  • Ps 17:10 : 10 They are inclosed in their own fat: With their mouth they speak proudly.
  • Ps 52:1-2 : 1 [For the Chief Musician. Maschil of David; when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech]. Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God [endureth] continually. 2 Thy tongue deviseth very wickedness, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
  • Ps 73:8-9 : 8 They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression: They speak loftily. 9 They have set their mouth in the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth.
  • Prov 12:18 : 18 There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health.
  • Prov 15:2 : 2 The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright; But the mouth of fools poureth out folly.
  • Prov 18:21 : 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
  • Jer 18:18 : 18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
  • Ezek 28:2 : 2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyre, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art man, and not God, though thou didst set thy heart as the heart of God;--
  • Ps 10:3 : 3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, And the covetous renounceth, [yea], contemneth Jehovah.
  • Ps 12:2-4 : 2 They speak falsehood every one with his neighbor: With flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak. 3 Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaketh great things; 4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; Our lips are our own: Who is lord over us?
  • Rev 13:5-6 : 5 and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, [even] them that dwell in the heaven.
  • Jude 1:16 : 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words] ), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage.
  • Dan 3:15 : 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made, [well] : but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?
  • Dan 4:30 : 30 The king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?
  • 2 Pet 2:18 : 18 For, uttering great swelling [words] of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error;
  • Exod 15:9 : 9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
  • 2 Kgs 19:22-24 : 22 Whom hast thou defied and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted up thine eyes on high? [even] against the Holy One of Israel. 23 By thy messengers thou hast defied the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir-trees thereof; and I will enter into his farthest lodging-place, the forest of his fruitful field. 24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet will I dry up all the rivers of Egypt.
  • Job 21:14-15 : 14 And they say unto God, Depart from us; For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
  • Job 22:17 : 17 Who said unto God, Depart from us; And, What can the Almighty do for us?

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Jas 3:6-10
    5 verses
    87%

    6And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell.

    7For every kind of beasts and birds, of creeping things and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed by mankind.

    8But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] a restless evil, [it is] full of deadly poison.

    9Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God:

    10out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

  • Jas 3:2-4
    3 verses
    77%

    2For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.

    3Now if we put the horses' bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also.

    4Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth.

  • Prov 15:4
    73%

    4A gentle tongue is a tree of life; But perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit.

  • Prov 10:19-20
    2 verses
    71%

    19In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.

    20The tongue of the righteous is [as] choice silver: The heart of the wicked is little worth.

  • Prov 15:1-2
    2 verses
    70%

    1A soft answer turneth away wrath; But a grievous word stirreth up anger.

    2The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright; But the mouth of fools poureth out folly.

  • Prov 21:23
    70%

    23Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles.

  • Job 15:5
    69%

    5For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

  • Prov 10:31
    69%

    31The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom; But the perverse tongue shall be cut off.

  • Prov 14:3
    68%

    3In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for [his] pride; But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

  • Prov 16:27
    68%

    27A worthless man deviseth mischief; And in his lips there is as a scorching fire.

  • Prov 18:20-21
    2 verses
    68%

    20A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; With the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.

    21Death and life are in the power of the tongue; And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

  • Gal 5:9
    68%

    9A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

  • Ps 12:3-4
    2 verses
    68%

    3Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaketh great things;

    4Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; Our lips are our own: Who is lord over us?

  • Isa 9:18
    68%

    18For wickedness burneth as the fire; it devoureth the briers and thorns; yea, it kindleth in the thickets of the forest, and they roll upward in a column of smoke.

  • Prov 6:27
    68%

    27Can a man take fire in his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?

  • Ps 83:14
    68%

    14As the fire that burneth the forest, And as the flame that setteth the mountains on fire,

  • Jer 5:14
    68%

    14Wherefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

  • Ezek 15:4-5
    2 verses
    68%

    4Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire hath devoured both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned: is it profitable for any work?

    5Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be meet for any work!

  • Prov 13:3
    67%

    3He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; [But] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

  • Jas 1:26
    67%

    26If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain.

  • Ps 39:3
    67%

    3My heart was hot within me; While I was musing the fire burned: [Then] spake I with my tongue:

  • Job 41:21
    67%

    21His breath kindleth coals, And a flame goeth forth from his mouth.

  • Prov 26:21
    67%

    21[ As] coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to inflame strife.

  • 1 Pet 3:10
    67%

    10For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:

  • Prov 12:18
    67%

    18There is that speaketh rashly like the piercings of a sword; But the tongue of the wise is health.

  • Ps 120:3
    67%

    3What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, Thou deceitful tongue?

  • Jas 1:19
    66%

    19Ye know [this], my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

  • 1 Cor 5:6
    66%

    6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

  • Prov 25:23
    66%

    23The north wind bringeth forth rain: So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.

  • Rom 3:14
    66%

    14Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

  • Ps 50:19
    66%

    19Thou givest thy mouth to evil, And thy tongue frameth deceit.

  • Prov 25:15
    66%

    15By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

  • Prov 26:18
    66%

    18As a madman who casteth firebrands, Arrows, and death,

  • Eccl 10:12
    66%

    12The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.

  • Ps 52:2
    66%

    2Thy tongue deviseth very wickedness, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

  • Job 15:13
    66%

    13That against God thou turnest thy spirit, And lettest words go out of thy mouth?

  • Ps 10:7
    66%

    7His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression: Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.

  • Job 22:20
    66%

    20[ Saying], Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, And the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.

  • Matt 12:36
    66%

    36And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.