James 3:1
New International Version
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

New Living Translation
Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.

English Standard Version
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

Berean Standard Bible
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

Berean Literal Bible
Not many of you should be teachers my brothers, knowing that we will receive greater judgment.

King James Bible
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

New King James Version
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

New American Standard Bible
Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment.

NASB 1995
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.

NASB 1977
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not, many of you, become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment.

Amplified Bible
Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly].

Christian Standard Bible
Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment,

American Standard Version
Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
There should not be many teachers among you, my brethren, but you should know that we will incur greater judgment,

Contemporary English Version
My friends, we should not all try to become teachers. In fact, teachers will be judged more strictly than others.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Be ye not many masters, my brethren, knowing that you receive the greater judgment.

English Revised Version
Be not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers. You know that we who teach will be judged more severely.

Good News Translation
My friends, not many of you should become teachers. As you know, we teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others.

International Standard Version
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more severely than others.

Literal Standard Version
Do not let many be teachers, my brothers, having known that we will receive greater judgment,

Majority Standard Bible
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

New American Bible
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly,

NET Bible
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.

New Revised Standard Version
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

New Heart English Bible
Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.

Webster's Bible Translation
My brethren, be not many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

Weymouth New Testament
Do not be eager, my brethren, for many among you to become teachers; for you know that we teachers shall undergo severer judgement.

World English Bible
Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.

Young's Literal Translation
Many teachers become not, my brethren, having known that greater judgment we shall receive,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Taming the Tongue
1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.…

Cross References
Matthew 23:8
But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.

Acts 13:1
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch), and Saul.

Romans 2:20
an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth--

1 Timothy 1:7
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.

James 1:16
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

James 3:10
Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!


Treasury of Scripture

My brothers, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

be.

Malachi 2:12
The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

Matthew 9:11
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

Matthew 10:24
The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

knowing.

Leviticus 10:3
Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Ezekiel 3:17,18
Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me…

Ezekiel 33:7-9
So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me…

condemnation.

Matthew 7:1,2
Judge not, that ye be not judged…

Matthew 23:14
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

1 Corinthians 11:29-32
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body…

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Condemnation Eager Greater Hardly Heavier Incur Judged Judgement Judgment Masters Others Receive Severer Teach Teachers Undergo
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Condemnation Eager Greater Hardly Heavier Incur Judged Judgement Judgment Masters Others Receive Severer Teach Teachers Undergo
James 3
1. We are not rashly or arrogantly to reprove others;
5. but rather to bridle the tongue, a little member,
9. but a powerful instrument of much good, and great harm.
13. The truly wise are mild and peaceable, without envy and strife.














(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). No man had a right to exercise the sacred functions of the appointed masters in Israel (see Note on 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). 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). 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; 1Corinthians 1:12; 1Corinthians 14:26; Galatians 2:12.) . . . Verses 1-12. - WARNING AGAINST OVER-READINESS TO TEACH, LEADING TO A DISCOURSE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF GOVERNMENT OF THE TONGUE. Verse 1. -

(1) Warning. Be not many teachers. The warning is parallel to that of our Lord in Matthew 23:8, seq., "Be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Teacher [διδάσκαλος, and not, as Textus Receptus, καθηγητής], and all ye are brethren." Comp. also 'Pirqe Aboth,' 1:11, "Shemaiah said, Love work and hate lordship (הרבנות)." The readiness of the Jews to take upon them the office of teachers and to set up as "guides of the blind, teachers of babes," etc., is alluded to by St. Paul in Romans 2:17, seq., and such a passage as 1 Corinthians 14:26, seq., denotes not merely the presence of a similar tendency among Christians, but also the opportunity given for its exercise in the Church.

(2) Reason for the warning. Knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment (ληψόμεθα). By the use of the first person, St. James includes himself, thus giving a remarkable proof of humility. (The Vulgate, missing this, has wrongly sumitis.) Comp. vers. 2, 9, where also he uses the first person, with great delicacy of feeling not separating himself from those whose conduct he denounces. Μεῖζον κρίμα. The form of expression recalls our Lord's saying of the Pharisees, "These shall receive greater condemnation (περισσότερον κρίμα) " (Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Not
Μὴ (Mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

many [of you]
πολλοὶ (polloi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

should become
γίνεσθε (ginesthe)
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

teachers,
διδάσκαλοι (didaskaloi)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1320: A teacher, master. From didasko; an instructor.

my
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

brothers,
ἀδελφοί (adelphoi)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 80: A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote.

[because] you know
εἰδότες (eidotes)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1492: To know, remember, appreciate.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

we [ who teach ] will be
λημψόμεθα (lēmpsometha)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

judged
κρίμα (krima)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2917: From krino; a decision ('crime').

more strictly.
μεῖζον (meizon)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular - Comparative
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.


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NT Letters: James 3:1 Let not many of you be teachers (Ja Jas. Jam)
James 2:26
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