James 3:10
in James 3Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
KJV
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
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This verse in James 3
Commentary
10 notes on this verseOut of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing,.... Which is not only a contradiction, but unnatural, as well as wicked and sinful: my brethren, these things ought not so to be: in any, and much less in professors of religion: such things are unbecoming men, are a scandal upon human nature, and exceeding unworthy of the Christian name; see Psa 50:16.
This site's exposition
With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father
on James 3:9-10
With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men. Those cursed have been made in God’s likeness, so the curse strikes the image of the One just blessed. The verse ends, this should not be, and leaves the inconsistency to convict.
This site's exposition
Out of the same mouth
Clarke tells a rabbinic story of Rabbi Simeon, who sent his servant out for good food and later for bad food. Both times the servant came back with tongues. The same mouth can bless God and curse men.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
From out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be done. Does the fountain give forth out of one hole sweet and sour water? Can, my brethren, the fig tree yield grapes: or the vine, figs? So neither can …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Blessing and cursing proceed from the same mouth. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth sweet and bitter water from the same opening? Just as sweet and bitter water cannot simultaneously bubble up from a single vein of …
Nothing bitter should come out of a mouth which has uttered the praise of so great a mystery, nor should the tongue say anything which is unworthy of a holy mouth. Let us keep it pure and not use it to curse. For if those …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It is said of the seraphim that praise God, they dare not bring a railing accusation. And for men to reproach those who have not only the image of God in their natural faculties, but are renewed after the image of God by the grace of the gospel: this is a most shameful contradiction to all their pretensions of honouring the great Original.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Out of the same mouth - This saying is something like that, Pro 18:21: Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and on this, for an illustration of St. James’ words, hear Vayikra Rabba, sec. 33: “Rabbi Simeon, the son of Gamaliel, said to his servant Tobias, Go and bring me some good food from the market: the servant went, and he bought tongues. At another time he said to the same servant, Go and buy me some bad food: the servant went, and bought tongues.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
So in a fable, a man with the same breath blows hot and cold. "Life and death are in the power of the tongue" (compare Ps 62:4). brethren--an appeal to their consciences by their brotherhood in Christ. ought not so to be--a mild appeal, leaving it to themselves to understand that such conduct deserves the most severe reprobation.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing - The meaning here may be, either that out of the mouth of man two such opposite things proceed, not referring to the same individual, but to different persons; or, out of the mouth of the same individual. Both of these are true; and both are equally incongruous and wrong. No organ should be devoted to uses so unlike, and the mouth should be employed in giving utterance only to that which is just, benevolent, and good. It is true, however, that the mouth is devoted to these opposite employments; and that while one part of the race employ it for purposes of praise, the other employ it in uttering maledictions. It is also true of many individuals that at one time they praise their Maker, and then, with the same organ, calumniate, and slander, and revile their fellow-men. After an act of solemn devotion in the house of God, the professed worshipper goes forth with the feelings of malice in his heart, and the language of slander, detraction, or even blasphemy on his lips. My brethren, these things ought not so to be - They are as incongruous as it would be for the same fountain to send forth both salt water and fresh; or for the same tree to bear different kinds of fruit.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐκ | ek | Out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | same | G846 → | 5565 times |
| στόματος | stomatos | mouth | G4750 → | |
| ἐξέρχεται | exerchetai | proceed forth | G1831 → | |
| εὐλογία | eulogia | blessing | G2129 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κατάρα. | katara | cursing. | G2671 → | |
| οὐ | ou | Not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| χρή, | chre | ought, | G5534 → | |
| ἀδελφοί | adelphoi | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| μου, | mou | of Mine, | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| οὕτως | houtos | so | G3779 → | 208 times |
| γίνεσθαι. | ginesthai | to be. | G1096 → | 667 times |
ἐκOut of
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
αὐτοῦsame
autouG846 →5565 times
στόματοςmouth
stomatosG4750 →
ἐξέρχεταιproceed forth
exerchetaiG1831 →
εὐλογίαblessing
eulogiaG2129 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κατάρα.cursing.
kataraG2671 →
οὐNot
ouG3756 →1664 times
χρή,ought,
chreG5534 →
ἀδελφοίbrothers
adelphoiG80 →343 times
μου,of Mine,
mouG3165 →1936 times
ταῦταthese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
οὕτωςso
houtosG3779 →208 times
γίνεσθαι.to be.
ginesthaiG1096 →667 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 3:9Do 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.
it leads to
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 12:17
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
- Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will avenge this evil!” Wait on the LORD, and He will save you.
- Romans 12:14
Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
- Romans 12:19–21
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Through
Romans 12:14Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
it leads to
- 1 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.
- Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- 1 Peter 3:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
About James
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on James.