James 3:8

τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν οὐδεὶς δύναται ἀνθρώπων δαμάσαι ἀκατάσχετον κακόν μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Word Reference
Original Word Definitions
τὴν
G3588 T-ASF
ho
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
  • this, that, these, etc. Only significant renderings other than ___%___the___%___ counted
δὲ
G1161 CONJ
de
but, and, etc
  • but, moreover, and, etc.
γλῶσσαν
G1100 N-ASF
glōssa
the tongue; by implication, a language (specially, one naturally unacquired)
  • the tongue, a member of the body, an organ of speech
    • the language or dialect used by a particular people distinct from that of other nations
οὐδεὶς
G3762 A-NSM
oudeis
not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e., none, nobody, nothing
  • no one, nothing
δύναται
G1410
dynamai
to be able or possible
  • to be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favorable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom
    • "to be able to do something"to be capable, strong and powerful
ἀνθρώπων
G444
anthrōpos
man-faced, i.e., a human being
  • a human being, whether male or female
    • generically, to include all human individuals
      • "to distinguish man from beings of a different race or order
      • of animals and plants
        • "of from God and Christ"of the angels
      with the added notion of weakness, by which man is led into a mistake or prompted to sin"with the adjunct notion of contempt or disdainful pity"with reference to two fold nature of man, body and soul"with reference to the two fold nature of man, the corrupt and the truly Christian man, conformed to the nature of God"with reference to sex, a male
    indefinitely, someone, a man, one"in the plural, people"joined with other words, merchantman
δαμάσαι
G1150 V-AAN
damazō
to tame
  • to tame
    • "curb, restrain
ἀκατάσχετον
G183
akataschetos
unrestrainable
  • that can not be restrained
κακόν
G2556 A-NSN
kakos
worthless (intrinsically, such; whereas G4190 properly refers to effects), i.e., (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious
  • of a bad nature
    • not such as it ought to be
    of a mode of thinking, feeling, acting
    • base, wrong, wicked
    troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive, baneful
μεστὴ
G3324 A-NSF
mestos
replete (literally or figuratively)
  • full
    • in reference to persons, whose minds are as it were filled with thoughts and emotions, either good or bad
ἰοῦ
G2447 N-GSM
ios
rust (as if emitted by metals); also venom (as emitted by serpents)
  • poison (of animals)
    • poison of asps is under their lips,
      • "spoken of men given to reviling and calumniating and thereby injuring others
    rust
θανατηφόρου
G2287 A-GSM
thanatēphoros
death-bearing, i.e., fatal
  • death bringing, deadly

τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν οὐδεὶς δύναται ἀνθρώπων δαμάσαι ἀκατάσχετον κακόν μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου
8
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Cross References

Romans 3:13

τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν·
13
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

Psalms 140:3

שָֽׁנֲנוּ לְשׁוֹנָם כְּֽמוֹ-נָחָשׁ חֲמַת עַכְשׁוּב תַּחַת שְׂפָתֵימוֹ סֶֽלָה׃
3
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

Psalms 55:21

חָלְקוּ׀ מַחְמָאֹת פִּיו וּֽקֲרָב-לִבּוֹ רַכּוּ דְבָרָיו מִשֶּׁמֶן וְהֵמָּה פְתִחֽוֹת׃
21
The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

James 3:6

καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ· ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας οὕτως ἡ γλῶσσα καθίσταται ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν ἡ σπιλοῦσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα καὶ φλογίζουσα τὸν τροχὸν τῆς γενέσεως καὶ φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης
6
And the a tongue is a fire, 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.

Psalms 57:4

נַפְשִׁי׀ בְּתוֹךְ לְבָאִם אֶשְׁכְּבָה לֹהֲטִים בְּֽנֵי-אָדָם שִׁנֵּיהֶם חֲנִית וְחִצִּים וּלְשׁוֹנָם חֶרֶב חַדָּֽה׃
4
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Psalms 64:3

אֲשֶׁר שָׁנְנוּ כַחֶרֶב לְשׁוֹנָם דָּרְכוּ חִצָּם דָּבָר מָֽר׃
3
Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

Psalms 58:4

חֲמַת-לָמוֹ כִּדְמוּת חֲמַת-נָחָשׁ כְּמוֹ-פֶתֶן חֵרֵשׁ יַאְטֵם אָזְנֽוֹ׃
4
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;

Psalms 59:7

הִנֵּה׀ יַבִּיעוּן בְּפִיהֶם חֲרָבוֹת בְּשִׂפְתוֹתֵיהֶם כִּי-מִי שֹׁמֵֽעַ׃
7
Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

Ecclesiastes 10:11

אִם-יִשֹּׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ בְּלוֹא-לָחַשׁ וְאֵין יִתְרוֹן לְבַעַל הַלָּשֽׁוֹן׃
11
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.

Deuteronomy 32:33

חֲמַת תַּנִּינִם יֵינָם וְרֹאשׁ פְּתָנִים אַכְזָֽר׃
33
Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.

Revelation 12:9

καὶ ἐβλήθη ὁ δράκων ὁ μέγας ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος ὁ καλούμενος Διάβολος καὶ ὁ Σατανᾶς ὁ πλανῶν τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν γῆν καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐβλήθησαν
9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
James 3:7
Read James 3
James 3:9