Bible Strands
James 3:10
Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — James addresses his fellow believers while continuing his discourse on the tongue, immediately noting the contradiction between praising God and condemning people.
The words — ἐξέρχεται (exerchetai) means “proceed forth,” and κατάρα (katara) means “cursing,” describing how both originate from a single source.
The thread — This contradiction of mixed speech appears in James 3:9 and is addressed in Romans 12:14 and 1 Peter 3:9, where believers are commanded to bless persecutors and refuse to repay insult with insult.
Why it lands — The text declares this practice unacceptable and demands that speech align with its intended object, rejecting any duality in verbal conduct.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Cross-references
- Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
- 1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
- Psalms 50:16 To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
- 1 Corinthians 3:3 for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?
- 1 Timothy 5:13 At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.
- Micah 3:11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
- Genesis 20:9 Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”
- Jeremiah 7:4 Do not trust in deceptive words, saying: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’
- 2 Samuel 13:12 “No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not violate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!