James 3.2

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: James chapter: 3 verses: "2" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 2 enriched: false

Quoted in

James 3.2

Book: James · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment."

"2. For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also."

"3. Now if we put the horses' bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also. 4. Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth." (James 3:1-4, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment."

"2. For in many things we all stumble. If anyone doesn’t stumble in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also."

"3. Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body. 4. Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires." (James 3:1-4, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. ^{condemnation: or, judgment}"

"2. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body."

"3. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth." (James 3:1-4, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. Many teachers become not, my brethren, having known that greater judgment we shall receive,"

"2. for we all make many stumbles; if any one in word doth not stumble, this one [is] a perfect man, able to bridle also the whole body;"

"3. lo, the bits we put into the mouths of the horses for their obeying us, and their whole body we turn about; 4. lo, also the ships, being so great, and by fierce winds being driven, are led about by a very small helm, whithersoever the impulse of the helmsman doth counsel," (James 3:1-4, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: James the Just (the brother of Jesus, head of Jerusalem church)
Audience: Jewish Christians in the dispersion
Location: Jerusalem (composition)
Time period: composed c. AD 45-49 (likely the earliest NT book)

Theological reading

Key words

G3056 - logos, logos (Strong's G3056). Also appears in: Matthew 7.24-27, Matthew 8.5-12, Matthew 8.16.
G4983 - soma, soma (Strong's G4983). Also appears in: Matthew 6.25-26, Matthew 10.28, Matthew 27.59-60.
G5046 - teleios, teleios (Strong's G5046). Also appears in: Matthew 5.48, Matthew 19, Romans 12.2.

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.