James 1:26

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

If any man {G1722} {G5213} thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Εἴ τις δοκεῖ θρησκὸς εἶναι ἐν ὑμῖν, μὴ χαλιναγωγῶν γλῶσσαν αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἀπατῶν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, τούτου μάταιος ἡ θρησκεία.

Transliteration

If anyone dokei thrēskos to einai among you, not chalinagōgōn glōssan of him, but apatōn kardian of him, of this one mataios the thrēskeia.

Grammar Details

• *dokei*: present, active, indicative, 3rd person singular - seems
• *thrēskos*: nominative, masculine, singular - predicate adjective
• *einai*: present, active, infinitive - to be
• *chalinagōgōn*: present, active, participle, nominative, masculine, singular - bridling
• *glōssan*: accusative, feminine, singular - direct object
• *apatōn*: present, active, participle, nominative, masculine, singular - deceiving
• *kardian*: accusative, feminine, singular - direct object
• *mataios*: nominative, feminine, singular - predicate adjective
• *thrēskeia*: nominative, feminine, singular - subject

Word Meanings

• *dokei*: seems/thinks/appears
• *thrēskos*: religious/pious/devout
• *einai*: to be/to exist
• *chalinagōgōn*: bridling/controlling/restraining
• *glōssan*: tongue/language/speech
• *apatōn*: deceiving/misleading/deluding
• *kardian*: heart/mind/inner self
• *mataios*: worthless/vain/futile/useless
• *thrēskeia*: religion/religious worship/religious service

Referenced Verses

• Ps 141:3 : 3 Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.
• Eph 4:29 : 29 Let {G3956} no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.
• 1 Pet 3:10 : 10 For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:
• Ps 34:13 : 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile.
• Jas 3:2-6 : 2 For 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. 3 Now if we put the horses' bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, {G2532} we turn about their whole body also. 4 Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither {G302} the impulse of the steersman None willeth. 5 None So the tongue also is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members {G3779} is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell.
• Jas 1:22 : 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.
• Eph 5:4 : 4 nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, or jesting, which are not befitting: but rather giving of thanks.
• Col 4:6 : 6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.
• Prov 10:31 : 31 The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom; But the perverse tongue shall be cut off.
• Prov 19:1 : 1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
• Luke 8:18 : 18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for {G3739} whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and {G3739} whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he thinketh he hath.
• Prov 13:2-3 : 2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth; But the soul of the treacherous [shall eat] violence. 3 He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; [But] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
• Prov 10:19 : 19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not transgression; But he that refraineth his lips doeth wisely.
• Ps 39:1-2 : 1 For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me. 2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; And my sorrow was stirred.
• Deut 11:16 : 16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
• Jas 1:19 : 19 Ye know [this], my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
• Prov 15:2 : 2 The tongue of the wise uttereth knowledge aright; But the mouth of fools poureth out folly.
• Gal 6:3 : 3 For if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
• Prov 16:10 : 10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
• Prov 16:25 : 25 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.
• Jas 2:20 : 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
• Ps 32:9 : 9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding; Whose trappings must be bit and bridle to hold them in, [Else] they will not come near unto thee.
• Prov 14:12 : 12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death.
• 1 Cor 3:18 : 18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
• 1 Cor 15:2 : 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which {G3056} I preached unto you, except {G3361} ye believed in vain.
• 1 Cor 15:15 : 15 Yea, {G2532} we are found false witnesses of God; because we witnessed of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead are not raised.
• Gal 2:6 : 6 But from those who were reputed to be somewhat (whatsoever {G4218} they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth not man's person) —they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me:
• Prov 21:26 : 26 There is that coveteth greedily all the day long; But the righteous giveth and withholdeth not.
• Isa 1:13 : 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; new moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies,— I cannot away with iniquity and the solemn meeting.
• Isa 44:20 : 20 He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
• Mal 3:14 : 14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts?
• Matt 15:9 : 9 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men.
• Mark 7:7 : 7 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching [as their] doctrines the precepts of men.
• Gal 2:9 : 9 and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision;
• Gal 3:4 : 4 Did ye suffer so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain.