James 3:10
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Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
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.
Open source ↗The apostle here reproves ambition, and an arrogant magisterial tongue; and shows the duty and advantage of bridling it because of its power to do mischief. Those who profess religion ought especially to govern their tongues (Jam 3:1-12). True wisdom makes men meek, and avoiders of strife and envy: and hereby it may easily be distinguished from a wisdom that is earthly and hypocritical (Jam 3:13 to the end).
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
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.
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?
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.
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.”
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.”
“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!