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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - James 3:3 - 3:3
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
If we put (ei ballomen). Condition of the first class assumed as true.
The horses’ bridles (tōn hippōn tous chalinous). Hippōn (genitive plural of hippos, horse, old word, in N.T. only here except in the Apocalypse), put first because the first of the several illustrations of the power and the peril of the tongue. This is the only N.T. example of chalinos, old word for bridle (from chalaō to slacken, let down), except Rev 14:20.
That they may obey us (eis to peithesthai autous hēmin). Present middle infinitive of peithō with eis to as a purpose clause with the dative hēmin after peithesthai and autous the accusative of general reference.
We turn about (metagomen). Present active indicative of metagō, late compound to change the direction (meta, agō), to guide, in N.T. only here and Jam 3:4. The body of the horse follows his mouth, guided by the bridle.