James 3:6 Meaning and Explanation
“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The tongue is a fire and a world of evil that defiles the whole person.
What Does James 3:6 Mean?
James now speaks the warning in full. The tongue is a fire, a whole world of iniquity, set among our members. It defiles the entire body, sets the whole course of life ablaze, and is itself set on fire from below. Few descriptions in Scripture are so severe.
The tongue is not merely capable of evil; left ungoverned it becomes a concentration of it, spreading corruption through the whole person and the whole of one's days. Its fire is fed from a source of evil and spreads destruction wherever words go. James means to shock the reader out of any casual view of speech. The instrument we use most lightly is the one most able to do harm, and it cannot be tamed by mere resolve.
James 3:6 in the Original Language
gehenna (γέεννα), 'hell' -- the place of final judgment and destruction, here the source of the tongue's fire.
Frequently Asked Questions About James 3:6
What does James 3:6 mean?
The tongue is a fire and a world of evil that defiles the whole person.