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

7For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. 8But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters. 11A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it?

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 16:9So my heart rejoices and I am happy; My life is safe.
• Psalms 30:12So now my heart will sing to you and not be silent; O Lord my God, I will always give thanks to you.
• Psalms 35:28Then I will tell others about your justice, and praise you all day long.
• Psalms 51:14Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me! Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance.
• Psalms 57:8Awake, my soul! Awake, O stringed instrument and harp! I will wake up at dawn!
• Psalms 62:4They spend all their time planning how to bring him down. They love to use deceit; they pronounce blessings with their mouths, but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah)
• Psalms 71:24All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice, for those who want to harm me will be embarrassed and ashamed.
• Psalms 108:1I am determined, O God! I will sing and praise you with my whole heart.
• Acts 2:26Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body also will live in hope,
• 1 Chronicles 29:10David praised the Lord before the entire assembly: “O Lord God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore!
• Psalms 34:1I will praise the Lord at all times; my mouth will continually praise him.
• Psalms 63:4For this reason I will praise you while I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.
• Psalms 145:1I will extol you, my God, O king! I will praise your name continually!
• Isaiah 29:13The sovereign master says, “These people say they are loyal to me; they say wonderful things about me, but they are not really loyal to me. Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual.
• Ephesians 1:3Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave 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