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James 3 Bible study: Out of the same mouth

The tongue is "a little member" (3:5), set beside the bits in a horse’s mouth and a ship’s "very small rudder" (3:4). And bitter in "fresh and bitter water" (3:11) and in "bitter jealousy" (3:14) is one Greek word, found in the New Testament in these two verses only.

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“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
James 3:17 · World English Bible

Try it · Did you catch it?

“James 3:11 and 3:14 both say "bitter".”

Is that in James 3, or not? Make your call.

What's really going on

Stumble in word

In the text

The part opens, "Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment." (3:1) (tap teachers) "For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also." (3:2) (tap stumble and bridle). Then the letter turns to horses: "Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body." (3:3). Here is what almost everyone misses: Strong's gives the verb behind bridle in 3:2 as "from a compound of G5469" and another word, and G5469 is the noun behind bits in 3:3. The letter goes straight from bridling the whole body (3:2) to the bits in the horses’ mouths (3:3).

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Questions people ask about James 3

That was a taste

The rest of James 3 is waiting in Favor

  • A very small rudder
  • But nobody can tame the tongue
  • The wisdom that is from above
  • Where the letter names Jesus Christ
  • Asked elsewhere in Favor
  • 10 questions as you read
  • 12 more Greek words
  • A short check at the end
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The Greek word behind it

γλῶσσαglossasay glohs-SAH

Strong's: "the tongue". "So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things." (3:5): behind tongue is this noun. James has it five times, in four verses (counted in RP2018, and in all eight editions TAGNT compares), and four of the five are in this chapter: 3:5, twice in 3:6, and "but nobody can tame the tongue" (3:8). The other is earlier in the letter: "while he doesn’t bridle his tongue" (1:26).

For your group

James 3 Bible study questions

  1. 1"Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." (3:10). What helps you weigh your words before you speak them?
  2. 2"Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom." (3:13). Where have you seen wisdom shown more by what someone did than by what they said?
  3. 3"Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (3:18). What does making peace look like in a group like ours?

Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads James 3 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.

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Questions

What is Favor?

Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.

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No. Many people read on their own. If you'd like to read with others, start a Bible study and share one link. Everyone's answers stay private until you meet.

I've never really read the Bible. Is this for me?

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The World English Bible, a modern, readable translation in the public domain. God's name appears as "the LORD", as in most English Bibles.

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Last reviewed October 8, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home