James Chapter 3 verse 3 Holy Bible

ASV James 3:3

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

Now if we put bits of iron into horses' mouths so that they may be guided by us, we have complete control of their bodies.
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DARBY James 3:3

Behold, we put the bits in the mouths of the horses, that they may obey us, and we turn round their whole bodies.
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KJV James 3:3

Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
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WBT James 3:3


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WEB James 3:3

Indeed, we put bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body.
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YLT James 3:3

lo, the bits we put into the mouths of the horses for their obeying us, and their whole body we turn about;
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 3. - Illustration of the last statement of ver. 2. The bit in the horse's mouth enables us to turn about the whole body. So the man who can govern his tongue has the mastery over the whole body. A remarkable parallel is afforded by Sophocles, 'Antigone,' 1. 470, Σμικρῷ χαλινῷ δ οῖδα τοὺς θυμουμένους ἵππους καταρτυθέιτας. So also Philo, 'De Op. Mundi,' p. 19, Τὸ θυμικώτατον ζῶον ἵππος ῤᾳδίως ἄγεται χαλινωθείς. The manuscript; authority is overwhelming in favor of εἰ δὲ (A, B, K, L; א, εἰδε γάρ, etc.; and Vulgate, si autem) instead of ἰδού of the Received Text (C has ἴδε, and the Syriac ecce): thus the apodosis is contained in the words, καὶ ὅλον κ.τ.λ. Translate, with R.V., now if we put the horses bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. (For a similar correction of ἰδέ to εἰ δέ, see Romans 2:17.)

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Behold.--A more clumsy reading is insisted upon here: but if, instead of "behold." The supporters of such curious corrections argue that the least likely is the most so; and thus every slip of a copyist, either in grammar or spelling, becomes more sacred in their eyes than is the Received text with believers in verbal inspiration.Three comparisons of the tongue are now introduced; the bit (James 3:3), the rudder (James 3:4), and a fire (James 3:6): the two former to show what mastery may be gained by self-discipline, the latter to warn us of a danger which may quickly spread beyond our power to quell.