James 3:3

εἰ δὲ : this is the best attested reading, but see Mayor's admirable note in favour of the reading ἴδε γάρ. τῶν ἵππων : “The genitive is here put in an emphatic place to mark the comparison. It belongs both to χαλινούς and to στόματα, probably more to the former as distinguishing it from the human bridle, so we have ἄχρι τῶν χαλινῶν τῶν ἵππων, Revelation 14:20, ἐπὶ τὸν χαλινὸν τοῦ ἵππου, Zechariah 14:20. Cf. Psalms 32:9 ” (Mayor). Knowling draws attention to Philo who “speaks of the easy way in which the horse, the most spirited of animals, is led when bridled, De Mundi Opif., p. 19E”. καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα …: Cf. what was said in the preceding verse.