Study it in the app“And the tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of existence, and is itself set on fire by Gehenna.”
James: the tongue, small like a bit or a rudder, is a fire that no one can tameThe Tongue
Andκαὶthe tongueἡ γλῶσσαisa fire,πῦρthe worldὁ κόσμοςof unrighteousness;τῆς ἀδικίαςthe tongueἡ γλῶσσαis setκαθίσταταιamongἐνour members,τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶνstainingἡ σπιλοῦσαthe wholeὅλονbodyτὸ σῶμαandκαὶsetting on fireφλογίζουσαthe wheelτὸν τροχὸνof existence,τῆς γενέσεωςandκαὶis itself set on fireφλογιζομένηbyὑπὸGehenna.τῆς γεέννης
tongue
The organ of the mouth used to speak and to taste.
Where else “glōssa” appearsfire
Fire.
Where else “pyr” appearsworld against God
People who live with their backs to God.
Where else “kosmos” appearsunrighteousness
Injustice, unrighteousness.
Where else “adikias” appearsappoint
To charge someone with something.
Where else “kathistatai” appearsmember
A part of the body.
Where else “melesin” appearsstain, defile
Stain, defile.
Where else “spilousa” appearswhole, all
Whole, entire, all.
Where else “holon” appearsbody
The person in his physical part, living or dead.
Where else “sōma” appearsset on fire
Set on fire, set ablaze.
Where else “phlogizousa” appearswheel, course
Wheel; the course or cycle of something.
Where else “trochon” appearscourse of life
The course of life, from its start.
Where else “geneseōs” appearsGehenna
Gehenna: the Valley of Hinnom beside Jerusalem, a cursed place because children were sacrificed there to idols; an image of final punishment.
Where else “geennēs” appears“The wheel of existence” (literally “the wheel of origin”): a difficult expression; it can be understood as the whole course of life, from birth.
5So also the tongue is a small member and boasts of great things. See how great a forest so small a fire sets ablaze.
6 · This verse (above)
7For every kind of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by humankind,
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?
