James 3:6

Bible in Basic English (1941)

And the tongue is a fire; it is the power of evil placed in our bodies, making all the body unclean, putting the wheel of life on fire, and getting its fire from hell.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ, ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας: οὕτως ἡ γλῶσσα καθίσταται ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν, ἡ σπιλοῦσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα, καὶ φλογίζουσα τὸν τροχὸν τῆς γενέσεως· καὶ φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης.

Transliteration

And the glōssa pyr, the kosmos of the adikias: houtōs the glōssa kathistatai in the melesin of us, the spilousa holon the sōma, and phlogizousa the trochon of the geneseōs; and being phlogizomenē by the geennēs.

Grammar Details

• *glōssa*: nominative, feminine, singular - tongue
• *pyr*: nominative, neuter, singular - fire
• *kosmos*: nominative, masculine, singular - world/order/system
• *adikias*: genitive, feminine, singular - unrighteousness/iniquity
• *houtōs*: adverb - thus/in this manner
• *kathistatai*: present indicative, middle/passive, 3rd singular - is set/established
• *melesin*: dative, neuter, plural - members/parts
• *spilousa*: present participle, active, nominative, feminine, singular - defiling/staining
• *holon*: accusative, neuter, singular - whole/entire
• *sōma*: accusative, neuter, singular - body
• *phlogizousa*: present participle, active, nominative, feminine, singular - setting on fire
• *trochon*: accusative, masculine, singular - wheel/course
• *geneseōs*: genitive, feminine, singular - origin/birth/existence
• *phlogizomenē*: present participle, passive, nominative, feminine, singular - being set on fire
• *geennēs*: genitive, feminine, singular - hell/Gehenna

Word Meanings

• *kosmos*: world/order/system/universe
• *adikias*: unrighteousness/iniquity/wickedness
• *kathistatai*: is set/established/placed/appointed
• *spilousa*: defiling/staining/polluting
• *phlogizousa*: setting on fire/inflaming
• *trochon*: wheel/course/circle
• *geneseōs*: birth/origin/existence/life
• *geennēs*: hell/Gehenna

Referenced Verses

• Prov 16:27 : 27 A good-for-nothing man is a designer of evil, and in his lips there is a burning fire.
• Mark 7:15 : 15 There is nothing outside the man which, going into him, is able to make him unclean: but the things which come out of the man are those which make the man unclean.
• Mark 7:20-22 : 20 And he said, That which comes out of the man, that makes the man unclean. 21 Because from inside, from the heart of men, come evil thoughts and unclean pleasures, 22 The taking of goods and of life, broken faith between husband and wife, the desire of wealth, wrongdoing, deceit, sins of the flesh, an evil eye, angry words, pride, foolish acts:
• Matt 15:11-20 : 11 Not that which goes into the mouth makes a man unclean, but that which comes out of the mouth. 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, Did you see that the Pharisees were troubled when these words came to their ears? 13 But he said in answer, Every plant which my Father in heaven has not put in the earth, will be taken up by the roots. 14 Let them be: they are blind guides. And if a blind man is guiding a blind man, the two will go falling into a hole together. 15 Then Peter said to him, Make the story clear to us. 16 And he said, Are you, like them, still without wisdom? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth goes on into the stomach, and is sent out as waste? 18 But the things which come out of the mouth come from the heart; and they make a man unclean. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, the taking of life, broken faith between the married, unclean desires of the flesh, taking of property, false witness, bitter words: 20 These are the things which make a man unclean; but to take food with unwashed hands does not make a man unclean.
• Matt 12:32-36 : 32 And whoever says a word against the Son of man, will have forgiveness; but whoever says a word against the Holy Spirit, will not have forgiveness in this life or in that which is to come. 33 Make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for by its fruit you will get knowledge of the tree. 34 You offspring of snakes, how are you, being evil, able to say good things? because out of the heart's store come the words of the mouth. 35 The good man out of his good store gives good things; and the evil man out of his evil store gives evil things. 36 And I say to you that in the day when they are judged, men will have to give an account of every foolish word they have said.
• Prov 15:1 : 1 By a soft answer wrath is turned away, but a bitter word is a cause of angry feelings.
• Ps 120:2-3 : 2 O Lord, be the saviour of my soul from false lips, and from the tongue of deceit. 3 What punishment will he give you? what more will he do to you, you false tongue?
• Col 3:8-9 : 8 But now it is right for you to put away all these things; wrath, passion, bad feeling, curses, unclean talk; 9 Do not make false statements to one another; because you have put away the old man with all his doings,
• 2 Thess 2:9-9 : 9 Even the one whose coming is marked by the working of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 And with every deceit of wrongdoing among those whose fate is destruction; because they were quite without that love of the true faith by which they might have salvation. 11 And for this cause, God will give them up to the power of deceit and they will put their faith in what is false: 12 So that they all may be judged, who had no faith in what is true, but took pleasure in evil.
• Titus 1:11 : 11 By whom some families have been completely overturned; who take money for teaching things which are not right; these will have to be stopped.
• Jas 2:7 : 7 Do they not say evil of the holy name which was given to you?
• 2 Pet 2:1-2 : 1 But there were false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly put forward wrong teachings for your destruction, even turning away from the Lord who gave himself for them; whose destruction will come quickly, and they themselves will be the cause of it. 2 And a great number will go with them in their evil ways, through whom the true way will have a bad name.
• 2 Pet 3:3 : 3 Having first of all the knowledge that in the last days there will be men who, ruled by their evil desires, will make sport of holy things,
• 3 John 1:10 : 10 So if I come, I will keep in mind the things he does, talking against us with evil words: and as if this was not enough, he does not take the brothers into his house, and those who are ready to take them in, he keeps from doing so, putting them out of the church if they do.
• Jude 1:8-9 : 8 In the same way these dreamers make the flesh unclean, having no respect for authorities, and say evil of rulers. 9 Now when Michael, one of the chief angels, was fighting against the Evil One for the body of Moses, fearing to make use of violent words against him, he only said, May the Lord be your judge. 10 But these men say evil about such things as they have no knowledge of; and the things of which they have natural knowledge, like beasts without reason, are the cause of their destruction.
• Jude 1:15-18 : 15 To be the judge of all, and to give a decision against all those whose lives are unpleasing to him, because of the evil acts which they have done, and because of all the hard things which sinners without fear of God have said against him. 16 These are the men who make trouble, ever desiring change, going after evil pleasures, using high-sounding words, respecting men's position in the hope of reward. 17 But you, my loved ones, keep in memory the words which were said before by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 How they said to you, In the last days there will be men who, guided by their evil desires, will make sport of holy things.
• Rev 2:14-15 : 14 But I have some things against you, because you have with you those who keep the teaching of Balaam, by whose suggestion Balak made the children of Israel go out of the right way, taking food which was offered to false gods, and going after the desires of the flesh. 15 And you have those who keep the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
• Rev 12:9 : 9 And the great dragon was forced down, the old snake, who is named the Evil One and Satan, by whom all the earth is turned from the right way; he was forced down to the earth, and his angels were forced down with him.
• Rev 13:1-5 : 1 And he took his place on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads unholy names. 2 And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been given a death-wound; and his death-wound was made well: and all the earth was wondering at the beast. 4 And they gave worship to the dragon, because he gave authority to the beast; and worshipping the beast, they said, Who is like the beast? and who is able to go to war with him? 5 And there was given to him a mouth to say words of pride against God; and there was given to him authority to go on for forty-two months.
• Rev 13:14 : 14 And those who are on the earth are turned from the true way by him through the signs which he was given power to do before the beast; giving orders to those who are on the earth to make an image to the beast, who was wounded by the sword, and came to life.
• Rev 18:23 : 23 And never again will the shining of lights be seen in you; and the voice of the newly-married man and the bride will never again be sounding in you: for your traders were the lords of the earth, and by your evil powers were all the nations turned out of the right way.
• Rev 19:20 : 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who did the signs before him, by which they were turned from the true way who had the mark of the beast, and who gave worship to his image: these two were put living into the sea of ever-burning fire.
• Ps 140:3 : 3 Their tongues are sharp like the tongue of a snake; the poison of snakes is under their lips. (Selah.)
• Prov 1:10-14 : 10 My son, if sinners would take you out of the right way, do not go with them. 11 If they say, Come with us; let us make designs against the good, waiting secretly for the upright, without cause; 12 Let us overcome them living, like the underworld, and in their strength, as those who go down to death; 13 Goods of great price will be ours, our houses will be full of wealth; 14 Take your chance with us, and we will all have one money-bag:
• Prov 6:19 : 19 A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
• Gen 3:4-6 : 4 And the snake said, Death will not certainly come to you: 5 For God sees that on the day when you take of its fruit, your eyes will be open, and you will be as gods, having knowledge of good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and a delight to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and gave it to her husband.
• Lev 24:11 : 11 And the son of the Israelite woman said evil against the holy Name, with curses; and they took him to Moses. His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.
• Num 25:2 : 2 For they sent for the people to be present at the offerings made to their gods; and the people took part in their feasts and gave honour to their gods.
• Num 31:16 : 16 It was these who, moved by Balaam, were the cause of Israel's sin against the Lord in the question of Peor, because of which disease came on the people of the Lord.
• Judg 12:4-6 : 4 Then Jephthah got together all the men of Gilead and made war on Ephraim; and the men of Gilead overcame Ephraim. 5 And the Gileadites took the crossing-places of Jordan against the Ephraimites; and when any of the men of Ephraim who had gone in flight said, let me go over; the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? And if he said, No; 6 Then they said to him, Now say Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth, and was not able to say it in the right way; then they took him and put him to death at the crossing-places of Jordan; and at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites were put to death.
• Judg 16:15-20 : 15 And she said to him, Why do you say you are my lover when your heart is not mine? Three times you have made sport of me, and have not made clear to me the secret of your great strength. 16 So day after day she gave him no peace, for ever questioning him till his soul was troubled to death. 17 And opening all his heart to her, he said to her, My head has never been touched by a blade, for I have been separate to God from the day of my birth: if my hair is cut off, then my strength will go from me and I will become feeble, and will be like any other man. 18 And when Delilah saw that he had let her see into his heart, she sent word to the chiefs of the Philistines saying, Come up this time, for he has let out all his heart to me. Then the chiefs of the Philistines came to her, with the money in their hands. 19 And she made him go to sleep on her knees; and she sent for a man and had his seven twists of hair cut off; and while it was being done he became feeble and his strength went from him. 20 Then she said, The Philistines are on you, Samson. And awaking from his sleep, he said, I will go out as at other times, shaking myself free. But he was not conscious that the Lord had gone from him.
• 1 Sam 22:9-9 : 9 Then Doeg, the Edomite, who was by the side of the servants of Saul, in answer said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub. 10 And he got directions from the Lord for him, and gave him food, and put in his hand the sword of Goliath the Philistine. 11 Then the king sent for Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and for all the men of his father's family who were priests in Nob: and they all came to the king. 12 And Saul said, Give ear now, O son of Ahitub. And answering he said, Here I am, my lord. 13 And Saul said to him, Why have you made designs against me with the son of Jesse, giving him food and a sword and getting directions from the Lord for him, and helping him to take up arms against me, and to be on the watch to make a secret attack on me as he is doing now? 14 Then Ahimelech answering said to the king, Who among all your servants is so true to you as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and is a captain of your armed men, and has a place of honour in your house? 15 Is this the first time I have got directions from God for him? Far be the thought! let the king make no such statement against his servant or my father's family, for your servant has no knowledge, great or small, of this thing. 16 And the king said, You will certainly be put to death, Ahimelech, you and all your father's family. 17 Then the king said to the runners who were waiting near him, Put the priests of the Lord to death; because they are on David's side, and having knowledge of his flight, did not give me word of it. But the king's servants would not put out their hands to make an attack on the Lord's priests.
• 2 Sam 13:26-29 : 26 Then Absalom said, If you will not go, then let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Is there any reason for him to go with you? 27 But Absalom went on requesting him till he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. And Absalom made a great feast like a feast for a king. 28 Now Absalom had given orders to his servants, saying, Now take note when Amnon's heart is glad with wine; and when I say to you, Make an attack on Amnon, then put him to death without fear: have I not given you orders? be strong and without fear. 29 So Absalom's servants did to Amnon as Absalom had given them orders. Then all the king's sons got up, and every man got on his beast and went in flight.
• 2 Sam 15:2-6 : 2 And Absalom got up early, morning after morning, and took his place at the side of the public meeting-place: and when any man had a cause which had to come to the king to be judged, then Absalom, crying out to him, said, What is your town? and he would say, Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. 3 And Absalom would say to him, See, your cause is true and right; but no man has been named by the king to give you a hearing. 4 And more than this, Absalom said, If only I was made judge in the land, so that every man who has any cause or question might come to me, and I would give a right decision for him! 5 And if any man came near to give him honour, he took him by the hand and gave him a kiss. 6 And this Absalom did to everyone in Israel who came to the king to have his cause judged: so Absalom, like a thief, took away the hearts of the men of Israel.
• 2 Sam 16:20-17:2 : 20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your opinion now, what are we to do? 21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's women who are here looking after his house; then all Israel will have the news that you are hated by your father, and the hands of your supporters will be strong. 22 So they put up the tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's women before the eyes of all Israel. 23 In those days the opinions of Ahithophel were valued as highly as if through him a man might get direction from God; so were they valued by David as much as by Absalom. 1 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me take out twelve thousand men and this very night I will go after David: 2 And I will come up with him when he is tired and feeble, and make him full of fear: and all the people with him will go in flight; and I will make an attack on the king only:
• 2 Sam 19:43-20:1 : 43 And in answer to the men of Judah, the men of Israel said, We have ten parts in the king, and we are the first in order of birth: why did you make nothing of us? and were we not the first to make suggestions for getting the king back? And the words of the men of Judah were more violent than the words of the men of Israel. 1 Now by chance there was present a good-for-nothing person named Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he, sounding the horn, said, We have no part in David, or any interest in the son of Jesse: let every man go to his tent, O Israel.
• 1 Kgs 21:5-9 : 5 But Jezebel, his wife, came to him and said, Why is your spirit so bitter that you have no desire for food? 6 And he said to her, Because I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, and I said to him, Let me have your vine-garden for a price, or, if it is pleasing to you, I will give you another vine-garden for it: and he said, I will not give you my vine-garden. 7 Then Jezebel, his wife, said, Are you now the ruler of Israel? Get up, take food, and let your heart be glad; I will give you the vine-garden of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8 So she sent a letter in Ahab's name, stamped with his stamp, to the responsible men and the chiefs who were in authority with Naboth. 9 And in the letter she said, Let a time of public sorrow be fixed, and put Naboth at the head of the people; 10 And get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death. 11 So the responsible men and the chiefs who were in authority in his town, did as Jezebel had said in the letter she sent them. 12 They gave orders for a day of public sorrow, and put Naboth at the head of the people. 13 And the two good-for-nothing persons came in and took their seats before him and gave witness against Naboth, in front of the people, saying, Naboth has been cursing God and the king. Then they took him outside the town and had him stoned to death. 14 And they sent word to Jezebel, saying, Naboth has been stoned and is dead. 15 Then Jezebel, hearing that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, said to Ahab, Get up and take as your heritage the vine-garden of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he would not give you for money, for Naboth is no longer living but is dead.
• 2 Chr 10:13-16 : 13 And the king gave them a rough answer. So King Rehoboam gave no attention to the suggestion of the old men, 14 But gave them the answer put forward by the young men, saying, My father made your yoke hard, but I will make it harder; my father gave you punishment with whips, but I will give it with snakes. 15 So the king did not give ear to the people; for this came about by the purpose of God, so that the Lord might give effect to his word which he had said by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. 16 And when all Israel saw that the king would give no attention to them, the people in answer said to the king, What part have we in David? what is our heritage in the son of Jesse? every man to your tents, O Israel; now see to your house, David. So all Israel went to their tents.
• 2 Chr 13:17 : 17 And Abijah and his people put them to death with great destruction: five hundred thousand of the best of Israel were put to the sword.
• Ps 64:3 : 3 Who make their tongues sharp like a sword, and whose arrows are pointed, even bitter words;
• Prov 7:21-23 : 21 With her fair words she overcame him, forcing him with her smooth lips. 22 The simple man goes after her, like an ox going to its death, like a roe pulled by a cord; 23 Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.
• Prov 26:20-21 : 20 Without wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no secret talk, argument is ended. 21 Like breath on coals and wood on fire, so a man given to argument gets a fight started.
• Isa 30:27 : 27 See, the name of the Lord is coming from far, burning with his wrath, with thick smoke going up: his lips are full of passion, and his tongue is like a burning fire:
• Jer 20:10 : 10 For numbers of them say evil secretly in my hearing (there is fear on every side): they say, Come, let us give witness against him; all my nearest friends, who are watching for my fall, say, It may be that he will be taken by deceit, and we will get the better of him and give him punishment.
• Jer 28:16 : 16 For this reason the Lord has said, See, I will send you away from off the face of the earth: this year death will overtake you, because you have said words against the Lord.
• Matt 5:22 : 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be in danger of being judged; and he who says to his brother, Raca, will be in danger from the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, You foolish one, will be in danger of the hell of fire.
• Matt 12:24 : 24 But the Pharisees, hearing of it, said, This man only sends evil spirits out of men by Beelzebub, the ruler of evil spirits.
• Mark 14:55-57 : 55 Now the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin were looking for witness against Jesus so that they might put him to death; and they were unable to get any. 56 For a number gave false witness against him and their witness was not in agreement. 57 Then some got up and gave false witness against him, saying,
• Luke 16:24 : 24 And he gave a cry and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may put the end of his finger in water and put it on my tongue, for I am cruelly burning in this flame.
• Acts 5:3 : 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why has the Evil One put it into your heart to be false to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
• Acts 6:13 : 13 And they got false witnesses who said, This man is for ever saying things against this holy place and against the law:
• Acts 20:30 : 30 And from among yourselves will come men who will give wrong teaching, turning away the disciples after them.
• Rom 3:13-14 : 13 Their throat is like an open place of death; with their tongues they have said what is not true: the poison of snakes is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of curses and bitter words:
• Rom 16:17-18 : 17 Now, it is my desire, brothers, that you will take note of those who are causing division and trouble among you, quite against the teaching which was given to you: and keep away from them. 18 For such people are not servants of the Lord Christ, but of their stomachs; and by their smooth and well-said words the hearts of those who have no knowledge of evil are tricked.
• 2 Cor 11:13-15 : 13 For such men are false Apostles, workers of deceit, making themselves seem like Apostles of Christ. 14 And it is no wonder; for even Satan himself is able to take the form of an angel of light. 15 So it is no great thing if his servants make themselves seem to be servants of righteousness; whose end will be the reward of their works.
• Eph 5:3-4 : 3 But evil acts of the flesh and all unclean things, or desire for others' property, let it not even be named among you, as is right for saints; 4 And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk, or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of praise.
• Deut 13:6 : 6 If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife of your heart, or the friend who is as dear to you as your life, working on you secretly says to you, Let us go and give worship to other gods, strange to you and to your fathers;
• Prov 7:5 : 5 So that they may keep you from the strange woman, even from her whose words are smooth.