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

7People have tamed all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures. 8Yet, no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil filled with deadly poison. With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. Yet, with the same tongues we curse people, who were created in God’s likeness. 10Praise and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen! 11Do clean and polluted water flow out of 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• Therewithαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• bless weεὐλογέωeulogeō · to praise/blessG2127
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• evenκαίkai · andG2532
• the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• curse weκαταράομαιkataraomai · to curseG2672
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• are madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• afterκατάkata · according toG2596
• the similitudeὁμοίωσιςhomoiōsis · likenessG3669

Cross-references for James 3:9

• Psalms 16:9That is why my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. My body rests securely
• Psalms 30:12so that my soul may praise you with music and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
• Psalms 35:28Then my tongue will tell about your righteousness, about your praise all day long.
• Psalms 51:14Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, my savior. Let my tongue sing joyfully about your righteousness!
• Psalms 57:8Wake up, my soul! Wake up, harp and lyre! I want to wake up at dawn.
• Psalms 62:4They plan to force him out of his high position. They are happy to lie. They bless with their mouths, but in their hearts they curse. Selah
• Psalms 71:24My tongue will tell about your righteousness all day long, because those who wanted my downfall have been disgraced and put to shame.
• Psalms 108:1My heart is confident, O God. I want to sing and make music even with my soul.
• Acts 2:26That is why my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices. My body also rests securely
• 1 Chronicles 29:10he praised the Lord while the whole assembly watched. David said, “May you be praised, Lord God of Israel, our father forever and ever.
• Psalms 34:1I will thank the Lord at all times. My mouth will always praise him.
• Psalms 63:4So I will thank you as long as I live. I will lift up my hands ⌞to pray⌟ in your name.
• Psalms 145:1I will highly praise you, my God, the king. I will bless your name forever and ever.
• Isaiah 29:13The Lord says, “These people worship me with their mouths and honor me with their lips. But their hearts are far from me, and their worship of me is ⌞based on⌟ rules made by humans.
• Ephesians 1:3Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing that heaven has to offer.
• 1 Peter 1:3Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has given us a new birth because of his great mercy. We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life.

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