James 1:26

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

King James Version · Read in your translation · Open the Explore console

Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
If	Εἴ Ei	G1487	if · conditional particle
man	τις tis	G5100	some or any person or object · indefinite pronoun — nominative singular masculine
among	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
you	ὑμῖν hymîn	G5213	to (with or by) you
seem	δοκεῖ dokei	G1380	compare the base of G1166 (δεικνύω)) of the same meaning · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
be	εἶναι einai	G1511	to exist · verb — present active infinitive
religious	θρησκὸς thrēskos	G2357	ceremonious in worship (as demonstrative) · adjective — nominative singular masculine
bridleth	χαλιναγωγῶν chalinagōgōn	G5468	to be a bit-leader · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
not	μὴ mē	G3361	(adverb) not · particle — negative
his	αὐτοῦ autou	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
tongue	γλῶσσαν glōssan	G1100	the tongue · noun — accusative singular feminine
but	ἀλλ᾽ all᾽	G235	properly · conjunction
deceiveth	ἀπατῶν apatōn	G538	to cheat · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
own	αὐτοῦ, autou	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
heart	καρδίαν kardian	G2588	the heart · noun — accusative singular feminine
man’s	τούτου toútou	G5127	of (from or concerning) this (person or thing)
religion	θρησκεία. thrēskeia	G2356	ceremonial observance · noun — nominative singular feminine
vain	μάταιος mataios	G3152	empty · adjective — nominative singular feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

Psalms 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the h…
1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Ephesians 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Psalms 34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
Proverbs 10:31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on James 1:19–end

In this part of the chapter we are required, I. To restrain the workings of passion. This lesson we should learn under afflictions; and this we shall learn if we are indeed begotten again by the word of truth. For thus the connection stands - An angry and hasty spirit is soon provoked to ill things by afflictions, and errors and ill opinions become prevalent through the workings of our own vile and vain affections; but the renewing grace of God and the word of the gospel teach us to subdue these: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, Jam 1:19. This may refer, 1. To the word of truth spoken of in the verse foregoing. And so we may observ…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on James 1:26

An example of doing work. religious . . . religion--The Greek expresses the external service or exercise of religion, "godliness" being the internal soul of it. "If any man think himself to be (so the Greek) religious, that is, observant of the offices of religion, let him know these consist not so much in outward observances, as in such acts of mercy and humble piety (Mic 6:7-8) as visiting the fatherless, &c., and keeping one's self unspotted from the world" (Mat 23:23). James does not mean that these offices are the great essentials, or sum total of religion; but that, whereas the law service was merely ceremonial, the very services of the Gospel consist in acts of mercy and holiness, a…

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Adam Clarke on James 1:26

Seem to be religious - The words θρησκος and θρησκεια, which we translate religious and religion, (see the next verse), are of very uncertain etymology. Suidas, under the word θρησκευει, which he translates θεοσεβει, ὑπηρετει τοις θεοις, he worships or serves the gods, accounts for the derivation thus: "It is said that Orpheus, a Thracian, instituted the mysteries (or religious rites) of the Greeks, and called the worshipping of God θρησκευειν threskeuein, as being a Thracian invention." Whatever its derivation may be, the word is used both to signify true religion, and superstition or heterodoxy. See Hesychius, and see on Jam 1:27 (note). Bridleth not his tongue - He who speaks not accordi…

The Church Fathers

This rule is the bottom line of true religion.
— Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA

Anger causes tongues to become unbridled and speech unguarded. Physical violence, acts of contempt, reviling, accusations, blows and other bad effects too numerous to recount are born of anger and indignation.
— Basil of Caesarea, SERMONS 10

But if anyone thinks that he is religious, not restraining his tongue, but deceiving his heart, this person's religion is worthless. He had previously advised not only to hear the word of God but also to do it. Now he adds that even if someone seems to exercise the Lord's commands, which he has learned, in deeds, if he does not also restrain his tongue from slanders, lies, blasphemies, foolish talk, even from much speaking itself, and other things by which he usually sins, he boasts in vain about the righteousness of his works. Just as Paul, approving the sentence of a Gentile poet, says: 'Bad company ruins good morals' (I Cor. XV).
— Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Bridle · FIGURATIVE — FIGURATIVE
Doer · 8:11; — 8:11;
Heart, Character Of The Unrenewed · Deceived — Deceived
Hypocrisy · 6:26,70;7:19;15:2,6; — 6:26,70;7:19;15:2,6;
Self-Deception · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Slander · Men shall give account for — Men shall give account for
Speaking · 1:29,30;3:13,14; — 1:29,30;3:13,14;
Vanity · The religion of hypocrites is — The religion of hypocrites is

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

James 1:26

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on James 1:19–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on James 1:26

Adam Clarke on James 1:26

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

James 1:26

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on James 1:19–end

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on James 1:26

Adam Clarke on James 1:26

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Gill on James 1:26

John Calvin on James 1:22–end

Tyndale Open Study Notes on James 1:26-27