James 3:9

Wycliffe Bible

In it we blessen God, the fadir, and in it we cursen men, that ben maad to the licnesse of God.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in God’s likeness.

King James Version (1611)
Therewith blesse wee God, euen the Father: and therewith curse wee men, which are made after the similitude of God.

King James Version
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

English Standard Version
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

New American Standard Bible
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, who have been made in the likeness of God;

New Century Version
We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like himself.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;

Berean Standard Bible
With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.

Contemporary English Version
My dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be like God, and this isn't right.

Complete Jewish Bible
With it we bless Adonai , the Father; and with it we curse people, who were made in the image of God .

Darby Translation
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father, and therewith curse we men made after [the] likeness of God.

Easy-to-Read Version
We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people who were created in God's likeness.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therewith blesse we God euen the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

George Lamsa Translation
By it we bless the LORD and the Father; and by it we curse men, who are made in the image of God:

Good News Translation
We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse other people, who are created in the likeness of God.

Lexham English Bible
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

Literal Translation
By this we bless God and the Father; and by this we curse men having come into being according to the image of God. Gen. 1:26

Amplified Bible
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God.

American Standard Version
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God:

Bible in Basic English
With it we give praise to our Lord and Father; and with it we put a curse on men who are made in God's image.

Hebrew Names Version
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God.

International Standard Version
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in God's likeness.Genesis 1:26; 5:1; 9:6;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For by it we bless the Lord and the Father, and by it we curse men who in the likeness of Aloha were made;

Murdock Translation
For with it, we bless the Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who were made in the image of God:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therwith blesse we God the father: and therwith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

English Revised Version
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the likeness of God:

World English Bible
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Therewith bless we God the Father, and therewith curse we man, made after the likeness of God.

Weymouth's New Testament
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in God's likeness.

Update Bible Version
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God:

Webster's Bible Translation
With this we bless God, even the Father; and with this we curse men, who are made after the similitude of God.

New English Translation
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God's image.

New King James Version
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

New Living Translation
Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.

New Life Bible
With our tongue we give thanks to our Father in heaven. And with our tongue we speak bad words against men who are made like God.

New Revised Standard
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Therewith, are we blessing our Lord and Father, and, therewith, we are cursing the men who, after the likeness of God, have been brought into being!

Douay-Rheims Bible
By it we bless God and the Father: and by it we curse men who are made after the likeness of God.

Revised Standard Version
With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Therwith blesse we God the father and therwith cursse we me which are made after the similitude of God.

Young's Literal Translation
with it we do bless the God and Father, and with it we do curse the men made according to the similitude of God;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therwith blesse we God the father, and therwith cursse we men which are made after the similitude of God.

Mace New Testament (1729)
By that we give praises to God the father: and that pronounces curses even against men, who are form'd after the divine resemblance.

Simplified Cowboy Version
We pray to God with one side and then turn right around and talk crap about those who were made in his very image.

Contextual Overview

¹ Mi britheren, nyle ye be maad many maistris, witynge that ye taken the more doom. ² For alle we offenden in many thingis. If ony man offendith not in word, this is a perfit man; for also he may lede aboute al the bodi with a bridil. ³ For if we putten bridlis `in to horsis mouthis, for to consente to vs, and we leden aboute al the bodi of hem. ⁴ And lo! schippis, whanne thei ben grete, and ben dryuun of stronge wyndis, yit thei ben borun about of a litil gouernaile, where the meuyng of the gouernour wole. ⁵ So also the tunge is but a litil membre, and reisith grete thingis. Lo! hou litil fier brenneth a ful greet wode. ⁶ And oure tunge is fier, the vniuersite of wickidnesse. The tunge is ordeyned in oure membris, which defoulith al the bodi; and it is enflawmed of helle, and enflawmeth the wheel of oure birthe. ⁷ And al the kynde of beestis, and of foulis, and of serpentis, and of othere is chastisid, and tho ben maad tame of mannus kinde; but no man mai chastise the tunge, ⁸ for it is an vnpesible yuel, and ful of deedli venym. ⁹ In it we blessen God, the fadir, and in it we cursen men, that ben maad to the licnesse of God. ¹⁰ Of the same mouth passith forth blessing and cursing. My britheren, it bihoueth not that these thingis be don so.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Therewith: Psalms 16:9, Psalms 30:12, Psalms 35:28, Psalms 51:14, Psalms 57:8, Psalms 62:4, Psalms 71:24, Psalms 108:1, Acts 2:26

bless: 1 Chronicles 29:10, 1 Chronicles 29:20, Psalms 34:1, Psalms 63:4, Psalms 145:1, Psalms 145:21, Isaiah 29:13, Ephesians 1:3, 1 Peter 1:3

therewith curse: Judges 9:27, 2 Samuel 16:5, 2 Samuel 19:21, Psalms 10:7, Psalms 59:12, Psalms 109:17, Psalms 109:18, Ecclesiastes 7:22, Matthew 5:44, Matthew 26:74, Romans 3:14

made: Genesis 1:26, Genesis 1:27, Genesis 5:1, Genesis 9:6, 1 Corinthians 11:7

Reciprocal: Numbers 23:13 - and curse me Job 31:30 - mouth Ephesians 2:18 - the Colossians 1:12 - the Father 1 John 2:1 - Father

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
And Adam seide, The womman which thou yauest felowe to me, yaf me of the tre, and Y eet.

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord seide to the womman, Whi didist thou this thing? Which answerde, The serpent disseyued me, and Y eet.

Genesis 3:17
Sothely God seyde to Adam, For thou herdist the voys of thi wijf, and hast ete of the tree, of which Y comaundide to thee that thou schuldist not ete, the erthe schal be cursid in thi werk; in traueylis thou schalt ete therof in alle daies of thi lijf;

Genesis 3:19
in swoot of thi cheer thou schalt ete thi breed, til thou turne ayen in to the erthe of which thou art takun; for thou art dust, and thou schalt turne ayen in to dust.

Genesis 3:20
And Adam clepide the name of his wijf Eue, for sche was the moder of alle men lyuynge.

Genesis 3:21
And the Lord God made cootis of skynnys to Adam and Eue his wijf, and clothide hem; and seide, Lo!

Genesis 4:9
And the Lord seide to Cayn, Where is Abel thi brother? Which answerde, Y woot not; whether Y am the kepere of my brothir?

Genesis 11:5
Forsothe the Lord cam down to se the citee and tour, which the sones of Adam bildiden.

Genesis 16:8
he seide to hir, Fro whennus comest thou Agar, the seruauntesse of Sarai, and whidur goist thou? Which answerde, Y fle fro the face of Sarai my ladi.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therewith bless we God, even, the Father,.... Of Jesus Christ, and of spirits, and of mercies: this is the instrument that is used in blessing God daily every meal that is eaten; and in joining with the saints, though only verbally and outwardly, in blessing God for all spiritual blessings in Christ, both in prayer, and in singing psalms:

and therewith curse we men: make imprecations, and wish evils upon them:

which are made after the similitude of God as man was originally, Genesis 1:26 and though sin has greatly defaced it, yet there are still some remains of it: and now, what an absurd and monstrous thing is this, that one and the same instrument should be used in blessing God, the Father of all creatures, and in cursing his children, his offering, as all men are by creation, and bear some resemblance to him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Therewith bless we God - We men do this; that is, all this is done by the tongue. The apostle does not mean that the same man does this, but that all this is done by the same organ - the tongue.

Even the Father - Who sustains to us the relation of a father. The point in the remark of the apostle is, the absurdity of employing the tongue in such contradictory uses as to bless one who has to us the relation of a father, and to curse any being, especially those who are made in his image. The word bless here is used in the sense of praise, thank, worship.

And therewith curse we men - That is, it is done by the same organ by which God is praised and honored.

Which are made after the similitude of God - After his image, Genesis 1:26-27. As we bless God, we ought with the same organ to bless those who are like him. There is an absurdity in cursing men who are thus made, like what there would be in both blessing and cursing the Creator himself.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. Therewith bless we God — The tongue is capable of rehearsing the praises, and setting forth the glories, of the eternal King: what a pity that it should ever be employed in a contrary work! It can proclaim and vindicate the truth of God, and publish the Gospel of peace and good will among men: what a pity that it should ever be employed in falsehoods, calumny, or in the cause of infidelity!

And therewith curse we men — In the true Satanic spirit, many pray to God, the Father, to destroy those who are objects of their displeasure! These are the common swearers, whose mouths are generally full of direful imprecations against those with whom they are offended.

The consideration that man is made after the image of God should restrain the tongue of the swearer; but there are many who, while they pretend to sing the high praises of God, are ready to wish the direst imprecations either on those who offend them, or with whom they choose to be offended.