James 1:26

 

James 1:26

(KJV) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

(1611 KJV) If any man among you seeme to be religious, & bridleth not his tongue, but deceiueth his owne heart, this mans religion is vaine.

(1587 Geneva Bible) If any man amog you seeme religious, and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiueth his owne heart, this mans religion is vaine.

(1526 Tyndale) Yf eny man amonge you seme devoute and refrayne not his tonge: but deceave his awne herte this mannes devocion is in vayne

 

Counterfeit Versions

(1881 RV) If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain.

(1901 ASV) If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain.

(AMP) If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person's religious service is worthless (futile, barren).

(CEB) If those who claim devotion to God don’t control what they say, they mislead themselves. Their devotion is worthless.

(CEV) If you think you are being religious, but can't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless.

(CSB) If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.

(1899 Douay-Rheims American Version RC) And if any man think himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue, but deceiving his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

(ERV) You might think you are a very religious person. But if your tongue is out of control, you are fooling yourself. Your careless talk makes your offerings to God worthless.

(ESV) If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

(GNB) Do any of you think you are religious? If you do not control your tongue, your religion is worthless and you deceive yourself.

(HCSB) If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself.

(J.B. Phillips) If anyone appears to be “religious” but cannot control his tongue, he deceives himself and we may be sure that his religion is useless.

(THE MESSAGE) Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air.

(NASV) If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

(NCV) People who think they are religious but say things they should not say are just fooling themselves. Their "religion" is worth nothing.

(NIV) Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

(NLV) If a person thinks he is religious, but does not keep his tongue from speaking bad things, he is fooling himself. His religion is worth nothing.

(NLT) If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

(RSV) If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man's religion is vain.

(NAB-Roman Catholic) If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue^* but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.

(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) If any man seems to himself to be a formal worshiper and yet does not bridle his tongue, but goes on deceiving his own heart, this man’s form of worship is futile.

 

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text

ει τις δοκει θρησκος ειναι εν υμιν μη χαλιναγωγων γλωσσαν αυτου αλλ απατων καρδιαν αυτου τουτου ματαιος η θρησκεια

 

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text

ει τις δοκει θρησκος ειναι μη χαλιναγωγων γλωσσαν εαυτου αλλα απατων καρδιαν εαυτου τουτου ματαιος η θρησκεια

 

Corrupted Manuscripts

This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:

Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century

B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century

C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century

P 025 - Ninth century

 

Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse

Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)

Stephanus (1550 A.D.)

K 018 - Ninth century

L 020 - Ninth century

 

Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions

Omit “among you”

Greisbach, Johann - 1805

Lachmann, Karl - 1842

Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869

Tregelles, Samuel - 1857

Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871

Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in 1870

Westcott and Hort - 1881

Weiss, Bernhard - 1894

Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941

Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition

Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition

United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition

Von Soden, Freiherr - 1902

 

Affected Teaching

James is addressing the brethren that if any among them does not seem to be able to bridle (to restrain or curb) their tongue, that may give an indication the person is not saved. Now James is specifically addressing the brethren but the modern versions make it sound like this applies to any religion making it a universal application. Those in false religions whether, they have bridled tongues or big mouths, are not saved. False religion does not save no matter how pious or reserved one lives their life. (2 Cor 13:5 KJV) Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? One way the true Christian can examine their Christian walk is by how they handle their tongue. If their words are vicious and attacking, then they may not be saved. This would be on a steady basis because being in the flesh, we all lose our tempers once in a while and let the words fly, but those who consistently speak nastily, it is a definite indicator that salvation never took place in their hearts. Normally, the transformation which inwardly took place by means of being saved is manifested outwardly. If that testimony is missing, then probably salvation is too. This is why it is important that we check our speech because it is a very simple salvation test.

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