James 3:10
8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
12 My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
- KJV
- Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
- WEB
- Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
- ASV
- out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
- DARBY
- Out of the same mouth goes forth blessing and cursing. It is not right, my brethren, that these things should be thus.
- BLB
- Out of the same mouth come out blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
- ÅB
- Av samme munn utgår velsignelse og forbannelse. Mine brødre! dette må ikke være så.
- OTB
- Fra samme munn kommer velsignelse og forbannelse. Mine brødre og søstre, slik bør det ikke være.
- B1930
- Av samme munn utgår velsignelse og forbannelse. Mine brødre! dette må ikke være så.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Romans 12:14
Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
Read in context1 Peter 3:9
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Read in context1 Corinthians 3:3
for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
Read in contextPsalms 50:16–20
To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
Read in context1 Timothy 5:13
At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.
Read in contextMicah 3:11
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
Read in contextJeremiah 7:4–10
Do not trust in deceptive words, chanting: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’
Read in contextGenesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”
Read in context