James 3 · Verse 10

James 3:10

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

James 3:10, King James Version

James 3:10 in other translations

BSB	Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
WEB	Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
ASV	out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
YLT	out of the same mouth doth come forth blessing and cursing; it doth not need, my brethren, these things so to happen;
DARBY	Out of the same mouth goes forth blessing and cursing. It is not right, my brethren, that these things should be thus.
BBE	Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not right for these things to be so.
Webster	Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

What does James 3:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

10. The tongue, says ÆSOP, is at once the best and the worst of things. So in a fable, a man with the same breath blows hot and cold. "Life and death are in the power of the tongue" (compare Psa 62:4). brethren--an appeal to their consciences by their brotherhood in Christ. ought not so to be--a mild appeal, leaving it to themselves to understand that such conduct deserves the most severe reprobation.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 10. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. The meaning here may be, either that out of the mouth of man two such opposite things proceed, not referring to the same individual, but to different persons; or, out of the mouth of the same individual. Both of these are true; and both are equally incongruous and wrong. No organ should be devoted to uses so unlike, and the mouth should be employed in giving utterance only to that which is just, benevolent, and good. It is true, however, that the mouth is devoted to these opposite employments; and that while one part of the race employ it purposes of praise, the other employ it in uttering maledictions. It is also true of many individuals that at one time they praise their Maker, and then, with the sane organ, calumniate, and slander, and revile their fellow-men. After an act of solemn devotion in the house of God, the professed worshipper goes forth with the feelings of malice in his heart, and the language of slander, detraction, or even blasphemy on his lips.

My brethren, these things ought not so to be. They are as incongruous as it would be for the same fountain to send forth both salt water and fresh; or for the same tree to bear different kinds of fruit.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 10 Out of the same mouth - This saying is something like that, Pro 18:21 : Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and on this, for an illustration of St. James' words, hear Vayikra Rabba, sec. 33: "Rabbi Simeon, the son of Gamaliel, said to his servant Tobias, Go and bring me some good food from the market: the servant went, and he bought tongues. At another time he said to the same servant, Go and buy me some bad food: the servant went, and bought tongues. The master said, What is the reason that when I ordered thee to buy me good and bad food, thou didst bring tongues? The servant answered, From the tongue both good and evil come to man: if it be good, there is nothing better; if bad, there is nothing worse." A saying very like that of St. James as found in Rabbi Tanchum, fol. 10, 4: "The mouth desires to study in the law, and to speak good words; to praise God, to glorify him, and to celebrate him with hymns: but it can also slander, blaspheme, reproach, and swear falsely." See Schoettgen. To find a man who officiates in sacred things to be a common swearer, a slanderer, etc., is truly monstrous; but there have been many cases of this kind, and I have known several. Let me say to all such, My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James 3:1-12

Chapter Outline Cautions against proud behaviour, and the mischief of an unruly tongue. (1-12) The excellence of heavenly wisdom, in opposition to that which is worldly. (13-18) Verses 1-12 We are taught to dread an unruly tongue, as one of the greatest evils. The affairs of mankind are thrown into confusion by the tongues of men. Every age of the world, and every condition of life, private or public, affords…

Read the full comment on James 3:1-12 →

James 3:10 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐκekOut ofG1537

τοῦtoutheG3588

αὐτοῦautousameG846

στόματοςstomatosmouthG4750

ἐξέρχεταιexerchetaiproceed forthG1831

εὐλογίαeulogiablessingG2129

καὶkaiandG2532

κατάρα.kataracursing.G2671

οὐouNotG3756

χρή,chrēought,G5534

ἀδελφοίadelphoibrothersG80

μου,mouof Mine,G3165

ταῦταtautathese thingsG3778

οὕτωςhoutōssoG3779

γίνεσθαι.ginesthaito be.G1096

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for James 3:10

Romans 12:14
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
1 Peter 3:9
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1 Corinthians 3:3
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Psalms 50:16-20
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. …
1 Timothy 5:13
And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
Micah 3:11
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.
Jeremiah 7:4-10
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. …
Genesis 20:9
Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
2 Samuel 13:12
And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

of.
Ps 50:16-20; Jer 7:4-10; Mic 3:11; Ro 12:14; 1Pe 3:9
these.
Ge 20:9; 2Sa 13:12; 1Co 3:3; 1Ti 5:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

James 3:9
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
James 3:10
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
James 3:11
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

Read all of James 3

James 3:10 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	De una misma boca proceden bendición y maldición. Hermanos míos, no conviene que estas cosas sean así hechas.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	de la même bouche procède la bénédiction et la malédiction. Mes frères, il ne devrait pas en être ainsi.
German Elberfelder 1871	Aus demselben Munde geht Segen und Fluch hervor. Dies, meine Brüder, sollte nicht also sein.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Ex ipso ore procedit benedictio et maledictio. Non oportet, fratres mei, hæc ita fieri.