Romans 3:13 BSB — MannaFest

Romans 3:13

“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Their throat is an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit: The poison of asps is under their lips:

KJV

Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

⋯

Commentary

4 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

Their throat ... - This expression is taken from Psa 5:9, literally from the Septuagint. The design of the psalm is to reprove those who were false, traitorous, slanderous, etc. Psa 5:6. The psalmist has the sin of deceit, and falsehood, and slander particularly in his eye. The expressions here are to be interpreted in accordance with that. The sentiment here may be, as the grave is ever open to receive all into it, that is, into destruction, so the mouth or the throat of the slanderer is ever open to swallow up the peace and happiness of all.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

Their throat - Is noisome and dangerous as an open sepulchre. Observe the progress of evil discourse, proceeding out of the heart, through the throat, tongue, lips, till the whole mouth is filled therewith. The poison of asps - Infectious, deadly backbiting, tale-bearing, evil-speaking, is under (for honey is on) their lips.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

This is mentioned as one of the great sins of the tongue, Jam. iii. But those that thus love cursing shall have enough of it, Ps. cix. How many, who are called Christians, do by these sin evince that they are still under the reign and dominion of sin, still in the condition that they were born in.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

57:8) is prostituted to the purposes of deception." the poison of asps is under their lips-- (Ps 140:3): that is, "Those lips which should 'drop as an honeycomb,' and 'feed many,' and 'give thanks unto His name' (So 4:11;

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

15 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
τάφος	taphos	A grave	G5028 →
ἀνεῳγμένος	aneōgmenos	opened	G455 →
ὁ	ho	[is] the	G3588 →
λάρυγξ	larugx	throat	G2995 →
αὐτῶν,	autōn	of them,	G846 →
ταῖς	tais	with the	G3588 →
γλώσσαις	glōssais	tongues	G1100 →
αὐτῶν	autōn	of them	G846 →
ἐδολιοῦσαν·	edoliousan	they were practicing deceit;	G1387 →
ἰὸς	ios	[the] venom	G2447 →
ἀσπίδων	aspidōn	of vipers	G785 →
ὑπὸ	hupo	[is] under	G5259 →
τὰ	ta	the	G3588 →
χείλη	cheilē	lips	G5491 →
αὐτῶν·	autōn	of them;	G846 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

G5259hupo[is] under219×

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Psalms 5:9
For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
leads to
- Jeremiah 9:3–6
  “They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD.
- Psalms 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
- Micah 6:12
  For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths.
Through
Psalms 57:4
My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts— with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
leads to
- Psalms 58:6
  O God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; O LORD, tear out the fangs of the lions.
- Proverbs 30:14
  there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.
- Psalms 35:17
  How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
Through
Psalms 140:3
They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah
leads to
- Psalms 58:4
  Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like a cobra that shuts its ears,
- 2 Corinthians 11:3
  I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

Featured studies on this passage

On Romans 3:13

The Romans Road — the Gospel's On-Ramp

Open the study →

Walks through Romans 3

The Armor of God

Roman legionary equipment surveyed by Paul as Christian discipline (Eph 6:10–18). Six pieces of armor and a seventh element — prayer — that is posture, not armor. Every piece carries an OT echo.

Open the study →

Walks through Romans 3

The Covenant Lawsuit: When God Sues His People

Open the study →

Walks through Romans 3

Faith and Works, James and Paul on the Same Abraham, MannaFest

Open the study →

Walks through Romans 3

Justification by Faith: the Verdict of the Cross | MannaFest

Open the study →

Walks through Romans 3

Theological Words

Eight words that carry the Bible's theology — agape, chesed, logos, hilastērion, berith, shalom, emunah, doxa — each a door into its full workbench page.

Open the study →

About Romans

The Crucifixion — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Romans: the study guide →Read chapter 3 →The featured study →

Continue: Romans 3 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Romans

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Romans