KJV: Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
YLT: lo, the bits we put into the mouths of the horses for their obeying us, and their whole body we turn about;
Darby: Behold, we put the bits in the mouths of the horses, that they may obey us, and we turn round their whole bodies.
ASV: Now if we put the horses bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also.
δὲ | now |
Parse: Conjunction Root: δέ Sense: but, moreover, and, etc. |
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τῶν | of the |
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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ἵππων | horses |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural Root: ἵππος Sense: a horse. |
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τοὺς | - |
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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χαλινοὺς | bits |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: χαλινός Sense: a bridle. |
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εἰς | into |
Parse: Preposition Root: εἰς Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among. |
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στόματα | mouths |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural Root: στόμα Sense: the mouth, as part of the body: of man, of animals, of fish, etc. |
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βάλλομεν | we put |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: βάλλω Sense: to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls. |
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τὸ | - |
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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πείθεσθαι | to obey |
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive Root: ἐπισείω Sense: persuade. |
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ἡμῖν | us |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Plural Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
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καὶ | even |
Parse: Conjunction Root: καί Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but. |
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σῶμα | body |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular Root: σῶμα Sense: the body both of men or animals. |
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αὐτῶν | of them |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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μετάγομεν | we turn about |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural Root: μετάγω Sense: to transfer, lead over. |
Greek Commentary for James 3:3
Condition of the first class assumed as true. [source]
ιππων Hippōn (genitive plural of ιππος hippos horse, old word, in N.T. only here except in the Apocalypse), put first because the first of the several illustrations of the power and the peril of the tongue. This is the only N.T. example of χαλινος chalinos old word for bridle (from χαλαω chalaō to slacken, let down), except Revelation 14:20.That they may obey us (εις το πειτεσται αυτους ημιν eis to peithesthai autous hēmin). Present middle infinitive of πειτω peithō with εις το eis to as a purpose clause with the dative ημιν hēmin after πειτεσται peithesthai and αυτους autous the accusative of general reference.We turn about Present active indicative of μεταγω metagō late compound to change the direction (μετα meta αγω agō), to guide, in N.T. only here and James 3:4. The body of the horse follows his mouth, guided by the bridle. [source]
Present middle infinitive of πειτω peithō with εις το eis to as a purpose clause with the dative ημιν hēmin after πειτεσται peithesthai and αυτους autous the accusative of general reference. [source]
Present active indicative of μεταγω metagō late compound to change the direction (μετα meta αγω agō), to guide, in N.T. only here and James 3:4. The body of the horse follows his mouth, guided by the bridle. [source]
Following the old reading, ἴδε . All the best texts read εἰ δὲ , now if. So Rev. [source]
Only here and Revelation 14:20. It may be rendered either bit, as A. V., or bridle, as Rev., but bridle is preferable because it corresponds with the verb to bridle (James 3:2) which is compounded with this noun. [source]
The position in the sentence is emphatic. [source]
Used by James only. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for James 3:3
Concessive participle of ειμι eimi The quantitative pronoun τηλικουτος tēlikoutos occurs in the N.T. only here, 2 Corinthians 1:10; Hebrews 2:3; Revelation 16:18. If James had only seen the modern mammoth ships. But the ship on which Paul went to Malta carried 276 persons (Acts 27:37).And are driven (και ελαυνομενα kai elaunomena). Present passive participle of ελαυνω elaunō old verb, in this sense (2 Peter 2:17) for rowing (Mark 6:48; John 6:19).Rough Old adjective (from σκελλω skellō to dry up), harsh, stiff, hard (Matthew 25:24).Are yet turned (μεταγεται metagetai). Present passive indicative of the same verb, μεταγω metagō in James 3:3. James is fond of repeating words (James 1:13.; James 2:14, James 2:16; James 2:21, James 2:25).By a very small rudder For the use of υπο hupo (under) with things see Luke 8:14; 2 Peter 2:7. There is possibly personification in the use of υπο hupo for agency in James 1:14; James 2:9; Colossians 2:18. Πηδαλιου Pēdaliou (from πηδον pēdon the blade of an oar) is an old word, in N.T. only here and Acts 27:40. Ελαχιστου Elachistou is the elative superlative as in 1 Corinthians 4:3 (from the Epic ελαχυς elachus for μικρος mikros).The impulse (η ορμη hē hormē). Old word for rapid, violent motion, here of the hand that worked the rudder, in N.T. only here and Acts 14:5 (rush or onset of the people).Of the steersman Present active genitive articular participle of ευτυνω euthunō old verb, to make straight (from ευτυς euthus straight, level, Mark 1:3), in N.T. only here and John 1:23. Used also of the shepherd, the charioteer, and today it would apply to the chauffeur. “The twin figure of the control of horse and of ship are frequently found together in later Greek writers” (Ropes). As in Plutarch and Philo.Willeth (βουλεται bouletai). Present middle indicative of βουλομαι boulomai common verb to will. Here intention of the steersman lies back of the impact of the hand on the rudder. [source]
Old adjective (from σκελλω skellō to dry up), harsh, stiff, hard (Matthew 25:24).Are yet turned (μεταγεται metagetai). Present passive indicative of the same verb, μεταγω metagō in James 3:3. James is fond of repeating words (James 1:13.; James 2:14, James 2:16; James 2:21, James 2:25).By a very small rudder For the use of υπο hupo (under) with things see Luke 8:14; 2 Peter 2:7. There is possibly personification in the use of υπο hupo for agency in James 1:14; James 2:9; Colossians 2:18. Πηδαλιου Pēdaliou (from πηδον pēdon the blade of an oar) is an old word, in N.T. only here and Acts 27:40. Ελαχιστου Elachistou is the elative superlative as in 1 Corinthians 4:3 (from the Epic ελαχυς elachus for μικρος mikros).The impulse (η ορμη hē hormē). Old word for rapid, violent motion, here of the hand that worked the rudder, in N.T. only here and Acts 14:5 (rush or onset of the people).Of the steersman Present active genitive articular participle of ευτυνω euthunō old verb, to make straight (from ευτυς euthus straight, level, Mark 1:3), in N.T. only here and John 1:23. Used also of the shepherd, the charioteer, and today it would apply to the chauffeur. “The twin figure of the control of horse and of ship are frequently found together in later Greek writers” (Ropes). As in Plutarch and Philo.Willeth (βουλεται bouletai). Present middle indicative of βουλομαι boulomai common verb to will. Here intention of the steersman lies back of the impact of the hand on the rudder. [source]
Present passive indicative of the same verb, μεταγω metagō in James 3:3. James is fond of repeating words (James 1:13.; James 2:14, James 2:16; James 2:21, James 2:25). [source]
Ablative case with εχωτεν exōthen (like εχω exō). This was the usual place (Hebrews 13:12). See εχωτεν exōthen in Revelation 11:2. Joel (Joel 3:12) pictures the valley of Jehoshaphat as the place of the slaughter of God‘s enemies. Cf. Zechariah 14:4.Blood from the winepress (αιμα εκ της ληνου haima ek tēs lēnou). Bold imagery suggested by the colour of the grapes.Unto the bridles Old word (from χαλαω chalaō to slacken), in N.T. only here and James 3:3. Bold picture.As far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs (απο σταδιων χιλιων εχακοσιων apo stadiōn chiliōn hexakosiōn). A peculiar use of απο apo for “distance from (of)” as also in John 11:18; John 21:8, somewhat like the use of προ pro in John 12:1. The distance itself covers the length of Palestine, but it is more likely that “the metaphor is worked out with the exuberance of apocalyptic symbolism” (Swete) for the whole earth. [source]
Old word (from χαλαω chalaō to slacken), in N.T. only here and James 3:3. Bold picture.As far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs (απο σταδιων χιλιων εχακοσιων apo stadiōn chiliōn hexakosiōn). A peculiar use of απο apo for “distance from (of)” as also in John 11:18; John 21:8, somewhat like the use of προ pro in John 12:1. The distance itself covers the length of Palestine, but it is more likely that “the metaphor is worked out with the exuberance of apocalyptic symbolism” (Swete) for the whole earth. [source]