NET Bible
"And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies."
— James 3:3, NET Bible
“Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.”
“Now if we put the horses’ bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. ”
“Indeed, we put bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body.”
“For if we put bits into the mouths of horses, that they may obey us: and we turn about their whole body.”
“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.”
“Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.”
The Power of the Tongue Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.
For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual, able to control the entire body as well.
And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies.
Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs.
So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze.
And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence– and is set on fire by hell.