James 3:9
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,
8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
10 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?
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
- KJV
- Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
- WEB
- With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God.
- ASV
- Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God:
- DARBY
- Therewith bless we the Lord and Father, and therewith curse we men made after [the] likeness of God.
- BLB
- With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, those having been made according to the likeness of God.
- ÅB
- Med den velsigner vi Herren og Faren, og med den forbanner vi menneskene, som er skapt etter Guds bilde.
- OTB
- Med den velsigner vi vår Herre og Far, og med den forbanner vi mennesker, som er skapt i Guds bilde.
- B1930
- Med den velsigner vi Herren og Faderen, og med den forbanner vi menneskene, som er skapt efter Guds billede.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Psalms 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
Read in contextGenesis 1:26–27
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.”
Read in contextGenesis 9:6
Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind.
Read in contextPsalms 62:4
They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch; they delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Selah
Read in contextPsalms 59:12
By the sins of their mouths and the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride, in the curses and lies they utter.
Read in contextGenesis 5:1
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in His own likeness.
Read in contextRomans 3:14
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
Read in contextIsaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.
Read in context