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 can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water?

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 16:9No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
• Psalms 30:12that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
• Psalms 35:28Then I will proclaim your justice, and I will praise you all day long.
• Psalms 51:14Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
• Psalms 57:8Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song.
• Psalms 62:4They plan to topple me from my high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts. Interlude
• Psalms 71:24I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long, for everyone who tried to hurt me has been shamed and humiliated.
• Psalms 108:1My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!
• Acts 2:26No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope.
• 1 Chronicles 29:10Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly: “O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever!
• Psalms 34:1I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
• Psalms 63:4I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
• Psalms 145:1I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever.
• Isaiah 29:13And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.
• Ephesians 1:3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,

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