James 3:8 - Exposition

It is an unruly evil ; rather restless , reading ἀκατάστατον ( א , A, B) for ἀκατάσχετον of Textus Receptus (C, K, L); Vulgate, inquietum malum (cf. James 1:8 ). The nominatives in this verse should be noticed: "The last words are to be regarded as a kind of exclamation, and are therefore appended in an independent construction". A restless evil! Full of deadly poison! Compare the abrupt nominative in Philippians 3:19 with Bishop Light-feet's note. Deadly ( θανατηφόρος ); here only in the New Testament. In the LXX . it is found in Numbers 18:22 ; Job 33:23 ; 4 Macc. 8:17, 24; 15:23. For the figure, cf. Psalms 140:3 , "They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips."