--- title: "James 3 - Study King James Bible with ellicotts commentary for english readers" description: "Read James 3 with ellicotts commentary for english readers commentary. 1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in w" image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/ellicotts-commentary-for-english-readers/james/3" --- [ Read](/kjv/james/3)[ Commentary](/study/james/3)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/james/3) Audio 1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 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. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 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. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; *it is* an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet *water* and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so *can* no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. 13 Who *is* a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but *is* earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife *is*, there *is* confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, *and* easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. [James 2](/study/james/2) [James 4](/study/james/4) ## Commentary To verse 1 (1) **Be not many masters.**—Better, *teachers,*which meaning was conveyed by “masters” when the English Bible was first published. The condemnation is of those who appoint themselves, and are as “blind leaders of the blind” ([Matthew 15:14](/kjv/matthew/15/14)). No man had a right to exercise the sacred functions of the appointed masters in Israel (see Note on [John 3:10](/kjv/john/3/10)), and none might take the honour of the priesthood unto himself, “but he that was called of God, as was Aaron” ([Hebrews 5:4](/kjv/hebrews/5/4)). Whereas we know from our Lord’s own words that the Scribes and Pharisees loved respectful “greetings in the markets, and to be called of men ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’” ([Matthew 23:1-12](/kjv/matthew/23/1-12)). Nevertheless His disciples were not to be acknowledged thus: for “one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” The neglect of this wholesome caution perplexed the early Church, as much as the later branches thereof. (Comp. [Acts 15:24](/kjv/acts/15/24); [1 Corinthians 1:12](/kjv/1-corinthians/1/12); [1 Corinthians 14:26](/kjv/1-corinthians/14/26); [Galatians 2:12](/kjv/galatians/2/12).) **The greater condemnation.**—Rather, *the greater judgment*—more strictly searching and severe. “None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself” ([Romans 14:7](/kjv/romans/14/7)), and, if this be true of common Christian life, how deep is the responsibility incurred in the attempt to teach others! Nay—“who is sufficient for these things?” ([2 Corinthians 2:6](/kjv/2-corinthians/2/6).) The test of all ministry must come at last in the day of trial and fiery inquisition of God; this and not the world’s opinion will be the real approval ([1 Corinthians 3:11-15](/kjv/1-corinthians/3/11-15)). If the work of any teacher abide. his reward will be exceeding great; if it “be burned,” woe to him! “He himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire,” scathed by that which shall consume the rubbish he has raked together; the faith which prompted such a man shall save him, but no reward can follow useless teaching; nor can there be escape for his own soul, except he wrought honestly. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/ellicotts-commentary-for-english-readers/james/3#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg","width":672,"height":448,"caption":"Real Bible Believers"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/ellicotts-commentary-for-english-readers/james/3#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/ellicotts-commentary-for-english-readers/james/3","name":"James 3 - Study King James Bible with ellicotts commentary for english readers","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/study/ellicotts-commentary-for-english-readers/james/3#primaryimage"},"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"Read James 3 with ellicotts commentary for english readers commentary. 1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. 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