11
A springἡ πηγὴdoes notμήτιpour forthβρύειfromἐκthe sameτῆς αὐτῆςopeningὀπῆςthe sweetτὸ γλυκὺandκαὶthe bitter,τὸ πικρόνdoes it?
James 3:11
Study it in the app“A spring does not pour forth from the same opening the sweet and the bitter, does it?”
James: the tongue, small like a bit or a rudder, is a fire that no one can tameThe Tongue
With the Greek beneath
James 3:11, word by word
- A springπηγὴpēgē
spring
Water welling from the ground.
Where else “pēgē” appears- does notμήτιmēti
surely not
Expecting "no": "it can't be…, can it?".
Where else “mēti” appears- pour forthβρύειbryei
pour forth
Pour forth, gush, send out water in abundance.
Where else “bryei” appears- openingὀπῆςopēs
opening
The mouth from which a spring's water flows.
Where else “opēs” appears- the sweetγλυκὺglyky
sweet
Sweet; of water, fresh.
Where else “glyky” appears- the bitterπικρόνpikron
bitter
Harsh and unpleasant to the taste, like bad water.
Where else “pikron” appears
The context
10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
11 · This verse (above)
12My brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives, or a vine figs, can it? Neither can salt water produce sweet water.
To study James 3 in a group
1. What it says
What images does James use to describe the power of the tongue (v. 3-6)?
2. What it means
Why do you think James contrasts the wisdom "from above" with bitter jealousy and rivalry (v. 13-18)?
3. How I live it
James says blessing and cursing come from the same mouth (v. 9-10). What kind word could you say today?