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James 3:10

Out of the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. These things, my brothers, should not be this way [for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts].

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blasphemy;   Speaking;   Thompson Chain Reference - Blasphemy-Profanity;   Cursing;   Inconsistency;   Religion;   Religion, True-False;   The Topic Concordance - Servants;   Speech/communication;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Blessing;   Gossip;   Tongue;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Sanctification;   Word;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Balaam;   James, the General Epistle of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Double-Tongued;   James, the Letter;   Tongue;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hosea;   James, Epistle of;   Law;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Benediction ;   James Epistle of;   Metaphor;   Mouth Lips;   Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - 36 Ought Must;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom or Church of Christ, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Blessing;   Busybody;   James, Epistle of;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for January 5;   Every Day Light - Devotion for May 12;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.
King James Version (1611)
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing: my brethren, these things ought not so to be.
King James Version
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
English Standard Version
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
New American Standard Bible
from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.
New Century Version
Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.
Berean Standard Bible
Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
Complete Jewish Bible
Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing! Brothers, it isn't right for things to be this way.
Darby Translation
Out of the same mouth goes forth blessing and cursing. It is not right, my brethren, that these things should be thus.
Easy-to-Read Version
These praises and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Out of one mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing: my brethren, these things ought not so to be.
George Lamsa Translation
Out of the same mouth proceed curses and blessings. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Good News Translation
Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My friends, this should not happen!
Lexham English Bible
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so!
Literal Translation
Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not fitting for these things to be so.
American Standard Version
out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Bible in Basic English
Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not right for these things to be so.
Hebrew Names Version
Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
International Standard Version
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. It should not be like this, my brothers!
Etheridge Translation
and from the same mouth go forth curses and blessings. My brethren, it is not fit that these should so be done.
Murdock Translation
and from the same mouth, proceed curses and blessings. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Out of one mouth proceadeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these thynges ought not so to be.
English Revised Version
out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
World English Bible
Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Weymouth's New Testament
Out of the same mouth there proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Of the same mouth passith forth blessing and cursing. My britheren, it bihoueth not that these thingis be don so.
Update Bible Version
out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
Webster's Bible Translation
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
New English Translation
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters.
New King James Version
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
New Living Translation
And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
New Life Bible
Giving thanks and speaking bad words come from the same mouth. My Christian brothers, this is not right!
New Revised Standard
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Out of the same mouth, come forth blessing and cursing! Not meet, my brethren, for, these things, thus, to be coming to pass!
Douay-Rheims Bible
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Revised Standard Version
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Out of one mouth proceadeth blessynge and cursynge. My brethren these thinges ought not so to be.
Young's Literal Translation
out of the same mouth doth come forth blessing and cursing; it doth not need, my brethren, these things so to happen;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Out of one mouth proceadeth blessynge and cursynge. My brethre these thinges ought not so to be.
Mace New Testament (1729)
from the same mouth shall blessing and cursing proceed? this ought not to be practis'd, my brethren;
Simplified Cowboy Version
Ain't no reason in the world why blessings and curses should come out of the same hole in your face.

Contextual Overview

1Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly]. 2For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses]. 3Now if we put bits into the horses' mouths to make them obey us, we guide their whole body as well. 4And look at the ships. Even though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines. 5In the same sense, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark! 6And the tongue is [in a sense] a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life [the cycle of man's existence], and is itself set on fire by hell (Gehenna). 7For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8But no one can tame the human tongue; it is a restless evil [undisciplined, unstable], full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God. 10Out of the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. These things, my brothers, should not be this way [for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

of: Psalms 50:16-20, Jeremiah 7:4-10, Micah 3:11, Romans 12:14, 1 Peter 3:9

these: Genesis 20:9, 2 Samuel 13:12, 1 Corinthians 3:3, 1 Timothy 5:13

Reciprocal: Genesis 34:7 - thing Leviticus 4:2 - which ought Numbers 23:13 - and curse me Deuteronomy 22:9 - shalt not sow Job 31:30 - mouth Jeremiah 6:7 - a fountain Luke 6:28 - Bless Luke 9:55 - Ye know Romans 3:14 - General 1 Timothy 3:8 - doubletongued

Cross-References

Genesis 2:25
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed or embarrassed.
Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of the two of them were opened [that is, their awareness increased], and they knew that they were naked; and they fastened fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
Genesis 3:17
Then to Adam the LORD God said, "Because you have listened [attentively] to the voice of your wife, and have eaten [fruit] from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it'; The ground is [now] under a curse because of you; In sorrow and toil you shall eat [the fruit] of it All the days of your life.
Genesis 3:18
"Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field.
Exodus 3:6
Then He said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
Exodus 32:25
Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to the point of being an object of mockery among their enemies—
Job 23:15
"Therefore I would be terrified at His presence; When I consider [all of this], I tremble in dread of Him.
Psalms 119:120
My flesh trembles in [reverent] fear of You, And I am afraid and in awe of Your judgments.
Isaiah 33:14
The sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. [They cry] "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?"
Isaiah 47:3
"Your nakedness will be uncovered, Your shame will also be exposed; I will take vengeance and will spare no man."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Out 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 Psalms 50:16.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 10. Out of the same mouth — This saying is something like that, Proverbs 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. The master said, What is the reason that when I ordered thee to buy me good and bad food, thou didst bring tongues? The servant answered, From the tongue both good and evil come to man: if it be good, there is nothing better; if bad, there is nothing worse."

A saying very like that of St. James as found in Rabbi Tanchum, fol. 10, 4: "The mouth desires to study in the law, and to speak good words; to praise God, to glorify him, and to celebrate him with hymns: but it can also slander, blaspheme, reproach, and swear falsely." See Schoettgen.

To find a man who officiates in sacred things to be a common swearer, a slanderer, c., is truly monstrous but there have been many cases of this kind, and I have known several. Let me say to all such, My brethren, these things ought not so to be.


 
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