James 3:4

Mace New Testament

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.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Even a big ship is controlled by a tiny rudder.

Bible in Basic English
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.

Darby Translation
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.

World English Bible
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.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
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.

Weymouth's New Testament
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.

King James Version (1611)
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.

Literal Translation
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.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
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.

Amplified Bible
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.

American Standard Version
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.

Revised Standard Version
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.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
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.

Update Bible Version
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.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

Young's Literal Translation
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,

New Century Version
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.

New English Translation
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.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Contemporary English Version
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.

Complete Jewish Bible
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Geneva Bible (1587)
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.

George Lamsa Translation
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.

Christian Standard Bible®
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.

Hebrew Names Version
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.

International Standard Version
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.

Etheridge Translation
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.

Murdock Translation
Huge ships also, when strong winds drive them, are turned about by a small timber, to what place the pleasure of the pilot looketh.

New King James Version
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.

New Living Translation
And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.

New Life Bible
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.

English Revised Version
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.

New Revised Standard
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.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
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.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
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.

Easy-to-Read Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
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.

Good News Translation
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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
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.

Contextual Overview

¹ My brethren, don't affect many of you to be doctors, considering, that those of us who are such, shall be tried with the greater severity. ² for we are all liable to frequent mistakes. he that does not give too great a loose to his tongue, is an accomplish'd person and fit to moderate the whole church. ³ you see how manageable horses are made by the application of a bit, which makes them take what motion we please. ⁴ 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. ⁵ so the tongue is but a small part of the body, yet how grand are its pretensions. a spark of fire! what quantities of timber will it blow into a flame? ⁶ the tongue is a brand that sets the world in a combustion: it is but one of the numerous organs of the body, yet it can blast whole assemblies: tipp'd with infernal sulphur it sets the whole train of life in a blaze. ⁷ creatures of every kind, beasts, birds, reptiles, and sea-monsters, are frequently tamed by human industry. ⁸ but who could ever tame the tongue? arm'd with deadly poison, the mischief scorns restraint. ⁹ By that we give praises to God the father: and that pronounces curses even against men, who are form'd after the divine resemblance. ¹⁰ from the same mouth shall blessing and cursing proceed? this ought not to be practis'd, my brethren;

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

2 Corinthians 2:11
witness) lest satan should have got some advantage of us: for we are apprized of his artifices.

2 Corinthians 11:3
but I fear lest by some means or other, as Eve was beguiled by the subtilly of the serpent, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is due to Christ.

1 Timothy 2:14
Adam was not seduc'd, but the woman, who was the cause of his 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.