James 3:9 · Bible study
James 3:9 Commentary: Blessing God, Cursing His Image
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study James 3:9: the tongue's contradiction in blessing God and cursing people made in His image. Exegetical analysis for pastors and teachers.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The tongue's inconsistency in blessing God and cursing image-bearers reveals a spiritual contradiction that must be resolved.
- Key words: εὐλογοῦμεν (we bless), καταρώμεθα (we curse), ὁμοίωσιν (likeness), γεγονότας (having been made).
- Main debate: Whether the original text reads “Lord” (κύριον) or “God” (θεόν) in the phrase “Lord and Father.”
- Theological theme: The image of God in humanity as the basis for respectful speech and the sanctity of human life.
- Best use: Preaching on the tongue’s power, the dignity of every person, and the need for integrity in worship and relationships.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
WEB World English Bible 2000
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God.
KJV King James Version 1769
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, who are made after the likeness of God:
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
with it we do bless the God and Father, and with it we do curse the men made according to the similitude of God;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father, and therewith curse we men made after [the] likeness of God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
By it we bless God and the Father: and by it we curse men who are made after the likeness of God.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Con ella bendecimos al Dios y Padre, y con ella maldecimos á los hombres, los cuales son hechos á la semejanza de Dios.
Com ela bendizemos o Deus e Pai, e com ela amaldiçoamos os seres humanos, que são feitos à semelhança de Deus.
Par elle nous bénissons le Seigneur notre Père, et par elle nous maudissons les hommes faits à l’ image de Dieu.
Durch sie loben wir Gott, den Vater, und durch sie fluchen wir den Menschen, die nach dem Bilde Gottes gemacht sind.
Door haar loven wij God en den Vader, en door haar vervloeken wij de mensen, die naar de gelijkenis van God gemaakt zijn.
Con essa benediciamo il Signore e Padre; e con essa malediciamo gli uomini che son fatti a somiglianza di Dio.
Przez niego błogosławimy Boga i Ojca, i przez niego przeklinamy ludzi, którzy na podobieństwo Boże stworzeni są;
Им благословляем Бога и Отца, и им проклинаем человеков, сотворенных по подобию Божию.
我們用 舌頭 頌讚 那為主、 為父的，又 用 舌頭 咒詛 那 照著 神 形像 被造 的人。
With it we give praise to our Lord and Father; and with it we put a curse on men who are made in God's image.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · James 3:9
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
All major commentators agree that this verse exposes a glaring inconsistency. The same tongue that blesses God is used to curse people who bear God’s image. Adam Clarke calls it “the true Satanic spirit.” John Calvin says it is “a hypocrisy not to be borne” that when the tongue pretends to bless God, “it immediately curses him in his own image, even by cursing men.” Matthew Henry ties it to the conceited, censorious talk that flows from dead faith. Albert Barnes argues that the absurdity is like “blessing and cursing the Creator himself,” since cursing the image insults the original. John Gill notes the absurdity of using one instrument to bless “God, the Father of all creatures” while cursing “his children, his offspring, as all men are by creation.” The consensus is clear: the tongue’s inconsistency is spiritually monstrous, and the image of God in humanity is the theological basis that makes cursing so offensive.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The plain meaning is consistent across traditions: using the same tongue to bless God and curse people made in His image is a profound inconsistency that should not exist among believers.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Textual reading: 'Lord' or 'God' | Both readings point to the same being, the divine object of blessing. | Older manuscripts (e.g., Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) read κύριον ('Lord'); later majority text reads θεόν ('God'). The Cambridge Bible, Vincent, and modern critical editions favor 'Lord,' while the KJV tradition follows 'God.' The meaning is not substantially altered. |
| The image of God after the fall | The image remains in some form, even if defaced, giving human beings enduring dignity. | Calvin says the image and glory still 'peculiarly shine forth,' so cursing a person is cursing God. Wesley speaks of 'indelible nobleness' we should reverence. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (citing Bengel) says a 'remnant and earnest' remains, enough to show what man shall be restored to. There is mild difference over how much of the original image survives. |
| Who is 'we' in verse 9? | The 'we' includes believers, showing the inconsistency can exist even within the Christian community. | Some (Barnes) see 'we' as generic, 'all this is done by the tongue,' not necessarily the same individual. Others (Calvin, Clarke) read it as the same person, making the hypocrisy more personal. The immediate context (v.10) 'out of the same mouth' points to individual inconsistency. |
Historical & Cultural Context
James writes to Jewish Christians scattered among the nations (James 1:1). The letter repeatedly addresses internal divisions: partiality toward the rich (chapter 2), faith without works, and now the tongue’s misuse. His audience likely gathered in synagogues where God was blessed in prayer and praise. Yet the same mouths might curse fellow believers of different backgrounds, perhaps Gentile converts or believers from rival Jewish sects. The Cambridge Bible notes that the warning pointed “especially to the feelings of Jews towards Christians, or of the more bigoted section of Jewish Christians towards the Gentiles.”
The phrase “men who are made after the likeness of God” draws directly from Genesis 1:26, 27 and 5:1. In Jewish tradition, the image of God gave every human being inviolable dignity; Genesis 9:6 used it to ground the prohibition of murder. James evokes this same logic: to curse an image-bearer is to attack the Creator. The combination “Lord and Father” for God (as the oldest Greek manuscripts read) is rare, appearing also in James 1:27. “Lord” emphasizes God’s authority and dominion; “Father” His paternal care. Together they heighten the contradiction: the tongue honors the sovereign Father while cursing His children. The absurdity would have been painfully clear to James’s readers, who prized both the Shema (blessing God) and the law against cursing one’s neighbor.
Textual Notes
The oldest Greek manuscripts (Codex Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, and others) read κύριον (“Lord”) rather than θεόν (“God”). Vincent’s Word Studies and the Cambridge Bible note this reading as the preferred one. The combination “Lord and Father” is rare but occurs also in James 1:27, lending support to the original reading. The majority of later manuscripts changed “Lord” to “God,” likely because “God and Father” was a more familiar phrase. This variant does not alter the essential meaning of the verse, as both terms refer to the same divine being.
Reception History
James 3:9 has been widely used in Christian moral instruction on speech. Early church figures like Chrysostom and Augustine cited it to urge believers to honor the image of God in every person. Medieval theologians drew on it to argue for the inherent dignity of human beings. The verse appeared in Reformation catechisms as a basis for the commandment against bearing false witness. It has also been invoked in modern discussions of human rights and the sanctity of life, grounded in the Genesis creation account. Across traditions, the verse serves as a reminder that our speech reflects our theology: if we truly bless God, we must also bless those He made in His likeness.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The same tongue can do both (v.9a). James uses present-tense verbs (“we bless,” “we curse”), describing a pattern, not a one-time slip. The tongue is capable of the highest and the lowest.
- The object of cursing bears God’s image (v.9b). The phrase “made according to the likeness of God” quotes Genesis 1:26. To curse the image is to dishonor the original. Calvin says, “He ought to be blessed especially as to men, in whom his image and glory peculiarly shine forth.”
- The absurdity demands change (v.10, 12). James drives the point home with nature analogies: a spring cannot yield both fresh and bitter water, a fig tree cannot bear olives. The inconsistency must be rooted out, not managed.
Five-point outline
- The same instrument: The tongue used in worship is the same tongue used in cursing.
- The tragic reversal: Blessing God should lead to blessing people; instead, cursing follows.
- The theological foundation: Every person bears the image of God, giving them inherent worth that speech must honor.
- The inconsistency illustrated: James uses two analogies (fresh/bitter water, fig tree/olives) to show how unnatural this is.
- The call to integrity: Our speech must match our faith. The wisdom from above produces peace, not cursing.
Illustration hooks
- A church member leads worship with passion on Sunday, then spreads gossip about a coworker on Monday.
- During a heated election season, a Christian posts online that a candidate should be “cursed” while ending the post with “God bless.”
- A parent prays for God’s blessing at the dinner table, then in the same meal shouts angry words at their children.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Is it possible to truly bless God while cursing people He loves?”
- “How does recognizing the image of God in others change the way I speak about them when I’m upset?”
- “Why do I sometimes talk one way at church and another way at home or online?”
Leading a Discussion
James confronts a deep inconsistency. The tongue that praises God is the same one that curses image-bearers. This passage invites us to examine the integrity of our speech and the theology behind it.
Discussion questions
- What do you think James means by “bless” and “curse” in this context? How do these actions show up in everyday life?
- Why does James specifically mention that men are “made after the likeness of God”? How does that change the weight of cursing?
- In what situations do you find it hardest to speak well of others? What triggers those moments?
- How does the image of God in a person affect how we should speak about them or to them, even when we are angry?
- Verses 10, 12 use analogies from nature. What do these analogies teach about the nature of spiritual inconsistency?
- How can we cultivate a tongue that consistently blesses, both God and people? What practical steps might help?
- How does this passage challenge how we talk about people with whom we disagree politically, theologically, or personally?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 1:26 | God said, “Let’s make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” |
| Genesis 1:27 | God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. |
| Genesis 5:1 | This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God’s likeness. |
| Genesis 9:6 | Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for God made man in his own image. |
| Judges 9:27 | They went out into the field, harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes, celebrated, and went into the house of their god and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech. |
| II Samuel 16:5 | When King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man of the family of Saul’s house came out, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out and cursed as he came. |
| II Samuel 19:21 | But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?” |
| I Chronicles 29:10 | Therefore David blessed Yahweh before all the assembly; and David said, “You are blessed, Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the tragic inconsistency of using the same tongue to praise God and to curse people made in His image. He calls this double use a Satanic spirit, especially when prayers are twisted into pleas for others' destruction. The very thing that can proclaim God's glory should be restrained by remembering who humans are.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights the absurdity of using the same tongue to both bless God and curse people made in his image. He compares cursing those who bear God's likeness to cursing the Creator himself. The contradiction lies in the same organ producing such opposite actions.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights the monstrous hypocrisy of blessing God with the same tongue that curses people, since God's image and glory shine especially in human beings. He argues that such behavior is an unbearable profanation of God's name, and that true praise of God necessarily ceases when evil-speaking prevails.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights the glaring inconsistency of blessing God while cursing fellow human beings made in His image. This warning pointed especially to Jewish believers who blessed God yet scorned Gentile Christians, and it remains urgent wherever religious groups denounce those who worship differently. Church history, from councils condemning heretics to violent persecution, shows the same contradiction.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the jarring contradiction: the same tongue that blesses God the Father is used to curse people, even though they bear God's own image. This contrast reveals a deep inconsistency, showing how speech meant for God's honor can turn to dishonor toward those who reflect Him.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the shocking contradiction of using the same tongue to bless God the Father and to curse people who bear His image. Though sin has defaced that likeness, some resemblance remains, making it absurd to bless the Father of all creatures while cursing His children. The inconsistency itself demonstrates the sinfulness.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the oldest manuscripts read "Lord" rather than "God," applying the Son's title to the Father to show the unity of the Godhead. He also distinguishes "image" as a common, enduring natural likeness from "likeness" as the moral pre-eminence lost in the fall, though a remnant still commands reverence.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the warning against becoming many teachers as a specific censure of the Judaistic mania for teaching, which fueled bitter envy and party-strife. He sees the tongue as a fire kindled by hell, expressing a false wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and devilish. True wisdom, by contrast, is pure, peaceable, and full of mercy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry connects the sins of the tongue to the dead, unproductive faith described in the previous chapter. In his view, those who boast of faith without works are especially prone to becoming conceited and domineering in their speech. The warning is practical: a censorious, controlling tongue goes hand in hand with a hollow faith.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent argues that the Greek text should read "the Lord and Father," with the word "and" simply linking the two titles. He also notes that the pronoun "which" following this phrase does not refer to specific individuals but designates people as a group.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley holds that even though humans have lost the moral likeness of God through sin, the original creation in God's image leaves an enduring nobility in every person. This inherent dignity, he argues, demands reverence toward ourselves and others.