the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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King James Version
James 3:4
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It is the same with ships. A ship is very big, and it is pushed by strong winds. But a very small rudder controls that big ship. And the one who controls the rudder decides where the ship will go. It goes where he wants it to go.
Look at the ships also; though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
Beholde also the shyppes which though they be so gret and are dryven of fearce windes yet are they turned about with a very smale helme whither soever the violence of the governer wyll.
Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires.
Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines.
Also a ship is very big, and it is pushed by strong winds. But a very small rudder controls that big ship, making it go wherever the pilot wants.
Look, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, where the impulse of the steersman wills.
Behold also the ships, which though they are so great, and [are] driven by fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small helm, withersoever the governor willeth.
Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires.
Behold also the ships, tho' they are so great, and driven by fierce winds, yet are turned about by a very small helm, whithersoever the pilot listeth.
So too with ships, great as they are, and often driven along by strong gales, yet they can be steered with a very small rudder in whichever direction the caprice of the man at the helm chooses.
And lo! schippis, whanne thei ben grete, and ben dryuun of stronge wyndis, yit thei ben borun about of a litil gouernaile, where the meuyng of the gouernour wole.
Behold, the ships also, though they are so great, and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth.
Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined.
It takes strong winds to move a large sailing ship, but the captain uses only a small rudder to make it go in any direction.
And look at the ships. Even though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines.
Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, whither the impulse of the steersman willeth.
And again ships, though they are so great and are moved by violent winds, are turned by a very small guiding-blade, at the impulse of the man who is using it.
And think of a ship — although it is huge and is driven by strong winds, yet the pilot can steer it wherever he wants with just a small rudder.
Behold also the ships, which are so great, and driven by violent winds, are turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the pleasure of the helmsman will.
And look at ships! They are so big that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are steered wherever the pilot pleases by a tiny rudder.
Also the mighty ships, while the furious winds drive them, by a little wood are turned about to the region which the will of him who guideth doth contemplate.
Huge ships also, when strong winds drive them, are turned about by a small timber, to what place the pleasure of the pilot looketh.
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driuen of fierce windes, yet are they turned about with a very small helme, whithersoeuer the gouernour listeth.
And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
Sailing ships are driven by strong winds. But a small rudder turns a large ship whatever way the man at the wheel wants the ship to go.
Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
Behold also the shippes, which though they be so great, and are driuen of fierce windes, yet are they turned about with a very small rudder, whither soeuer the gouernour listeth.
Behold also the ships, great as they are, when driven by severe winds, they are turned about with a very small rudder, wherever the pilot wishes.
Lo! the ships also, large as they are, and, by rough winds, driven along, are turned about by a very small helm, whithersoever the impulse of the steersman inclineth.
Behold also ships, whereas they are great and are driven by strong winds, yet are they turned about with a small helm, whithersoever the force of the governor willeth.
Beholde also ye shippes, which though they be so great, and are dryuen of fierce windes, yet are they turned about with a very small helme, whither soeuer the violence of the gouernour wyll.
Or think of a ship: big as it is and driven by such strong winds, it can be steered by a very small rudder, and it goes wherever the pilot wants it to go.
And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
Behold also ships: although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot wishes.
Behold, the ships also, being so great, and being driven by violent winds, they are directed by a very small rudder, where the impulse of the one steering purposes.
lo, also the ships, being so great, and by fierce winds being driven, are led about by a very small helm, whithersoever the impulse of the helmsman doth counsel,
Beholde also ye shyppes, which though they be so gret, and are dryuen of fearce windes, yet are they turned about with a very smale helme, whither soeuer the violence of the gouerner wyll.
a ship too of the greatest burthen, tho' the wind bears hard, by means of an inconsiderable helm, veers about as the hand of the pilot directs her.
Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot's inclination directs.
Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.
Even a big ship is controlled by a tiny rudder.
Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
are driven: Psalms 107:25-27, Jonah 1:4, Matthew 8:24, Acts 27:14-38
Reciprocal: Acts 27:15 - we Ephesians 4:14 - carried Ephesians 5:4 - filthiness Colossians 3:8 - filthy
Cross-References
And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:
Now therefore thus saith the Lord , Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.
And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord , Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord , Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die.
He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great,.... Of so large a bulk, of such a prodigious size, and are such unwieldy vessels:
and are driven of fierce winds; with great vehemence, rapidity, and swiftness:
yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth; the helm, or tiller of a ship, is a beam or piece of timber fastened into the rudder, and so coming forward into the steerage, where he that stands at helm steers the ship e, who is here called the governor; or "he that directs", as the word may be rendered; that is, that steers; the word for "helm" is translated rudder in Acts 27:40, and the helm or tiller is sometimes, though improperly, called the rudder itself f; and this is very small, in comparison of the bulk of the ship that is guided by it g. Aristotle calls it πηδαλιον μικρον, "a small helm", as the apostle here does, and accounts for it how large ships should be moved and steered by it. And so, though the tongue is to the rest of the body as a small helm to a large ship, yet, like that, it has great influence over the whole body, to check it when it is carrying away with the force of its appetites and passions; and so churches, societies, and bodies of Christians, which are large and numerous, and are like ships upon the ocean, tossed to and fro with tempests, driven by Satan's temptations and the world's persecution, and ready to be carried away with the wind of false doctrine, yet are influenced and directed aright by those that are at the helm, the faithful ministers of the word, who say to them, this is the way, walk in it.
e Chambers's Cyclopedia, in the word "Helm". f lb. in the word "Rudder". g Quaest. Mechanic. c. 5.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Behold also the ships - This illustration is equally striking and obvious. A ship is a large object. It seems to be unmanageable by its vastness, and it is also impelled by driving storms. Yet it is easily managed by a small rudder; and he that has control of that, has control of the ship itself. So with the tongue. It is a small member as compared with the body; in its size not unlike the rudder as compared with the ship. Yet the proper control of the tongue in respect to its influence on the whole man, is not unlike the control of the rudder in its power over the ship.
Which though they be so great - So great in themselves, and in comparison with the rudder. Even such bulky and unwieldy objects are controlled by a very small thing.
And are driven of fierce winds - By winds that would seem to leave the ship beyond control. It is probable that by the “fierce winds” here as impelling the ship, the apostle meant to illustrate the power of the passions in impelling man. Even a man under impetuous passion would be restrained, if the tongue is properly controlled, as the ship driven by the winds is by the helm.
Yet are they turned about with a very small helm - The ancient rudder or helm was made in the shape of an oar. This was very small when compared with the size of the vessel - about as small as the tongue is as compared with the body.
Whithersoever the governor listeth - As the helmsman pleases. It is entirely under his control.
