James 3:9

James 3:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
• New International Version (NIV)With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.
• English Standard Version (ESV)With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

Context of James 3:9

7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but 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. 10Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

James 3:9 word by word

ἐν αὐτῇ εὐλογοῦμεν τὸν κύριον καὶ πατέρα καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ καταρώμεθα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς καθ᾽ ὁμοίωσιν θεοῦ γεγονότας·Read the interlinear

• Withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ·αὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• we blessεὐλογέωeulogeō · to praise/blessG2127
• ourὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• we curseκαταράομαιkataraomai · to curseG2672
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• have been madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• inκατάkata · according toG2596
• God’sθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• likenessὁμοίωσιςhomoiōsis · likenessG3669

Cross-references for James 3:9

• Psalms 16:9Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell securely.
• Psalms 30:12that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks forever.
• Psalms 35:28Then my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness and Your praises all day long.
• Psalms 51:14Deliver me from bloodguilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
• Psalms 57:8Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
• Psalms 62:4They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch; they delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Selah
• Psalms 71:24My tongue will indeed proclaim Your righteousness all day long, for those who seek my harm are disgraced and confounded.
• Psalms 108:1My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my being.
• Acts 2:26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will dwell in hope,
• 1 Chronicles 29:10Then David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly and said: “May You be blessed, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.
• Psalms 34:1I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.
• Psalms 63:4So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift my hands.
• Psalms 145:1I will exalt You, my God and King; I will bless Your name forever and ever.
• Isaiah 29:13Therefore 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.
• Ephesians 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
• 1 Peter 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Commentaries on James 3:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Therewith 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Therewith 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Bless … curse: Blessing our Lord and Father is the best use of our tongues. Cursing people, who are made in God's image, is one of the worst. It indirectly curses God himself (Genesis 1:26–27; 9:6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. God--The oldest authorities read, "Lord." "Him who is Lord and Father." The uncommonness of the application of "Lord" to the Father, doubtless caused the change in modern texts to "God" (Jas 1:27). But as Messiah is called "Father," Is 9:6, so God the Father is called by the Son's title, "Lord": showing the unity of the Godhead. "Father" implies His paternal love; "Lord," His dominion. men, which--not "men who"; for what is meant is not particular men…Read the comment

Topics related to James 3:9

• God
• Image
• Man
• Speaking

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Course
• Governor
• Obey
• Offend
• Ought
• Tame
• Anthropology
• Busybody

Commentaries on James 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings