Romans 3:13 Meaning: The Open Tomb in Your Throat
“Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips.”
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Their throat is an open sepulchre; With their tongues they have used deceit: The poison of asps is under their lips:
A sepulchre opened is their throat; with their tongues they used deceit; poison of asps is under their lips.
their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; asps' poison [is] under their lips:
Meaning in one sentence
Paul uses graphic metaphors of an open tomb and snake venom to show how deeply sin corrupts our speech. What does this mean for you?
Context
Paul has been making a careful argument that both Jews and Gentiles are locked under sin. In this section, he strings together quotations from the Old Testament to show every part of a person is affected, minds, hearts, and bodies. He begins with general statements about no one being righteous, then moves into specific parts: throats, tongues, lips. The point is not to single out any one group, but to stop every mouth from making excuses before God.
This verse comes from Psalms 5 and 140. The image of an open tomb speaks to the decay that naturally comes out of a sinful heart. The poison of a snake hidden under the lips suggests words that look harmless but kill. Paul is not exaggerating; he is diagnosing the human condition so he can point to the only cure.
Key Words
Three Greek words carry the force of this verse. First, taphos (τάφος) means a grave. But Paul adds aneōgmenos, 'open' or 'standing open.' It is not a sealed tomb; it is one whose stench pours out freely. That is what our natural speech is like: decaying words that infect the air around them.
Second, the verb edoliousan (ἐδολιοῦσαν) is in the imperfect tense, meaning they kept practicing deceit. This is not an occasional slip; it is a settled habit of using words to manipulate or mislead. You flatter, you stretch the truth, you let the silence imply what is false. That is the habit Paul exposes.
Third, ios (ἰός) means venom, and aspidōn (ἀσπίδων) refers to asps, small vipers whose bite kills almost instantly. The poison is 'under their lips,' hidden beneath the surface. A kind tone can conceal a deadly intent. The verse asks us to consider: what lurks just underneath your words?
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this verse as a vivid exposure of the depth of sin in speech. John Calvin saw the open throat as 'a gulf to swallow up men,' the kind of barbarity that consumes others with words. Matthew Henry noted that Paul lists the throat, tongue, and lips to show how sin infects every instrument of speech. Wesley connected the poison of asps to 'infectious, deadly backbiting and evil-speaking' that appears sweet on the surface. The Anglican Cambridge Bible saw the sepulchre as 'emitting the noisome exhalations of a putrid heart.' All agree: the problem is not just what we do, but what we naturally produce from within.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse and think, 'That describes the really evil people, murderers, liars, those with no conscience.' They see it as a warning about others, not themselves. In fact, Paul is quoting these Psalms to show that everyone is under sin, including the religious person who would never commit a violent crime. The deceit he speaks of can be small: the flattery at work, the exaggeration in conversation, the cutting remark dressed as a joke. This verse holds up a mirror, not a mugshot.
Living This Out
This week, pay attention to what comes out of you. When you complain about someone behind their back, that is the stench of the tomb. When you tell a story to make yourself look better, that is deceit. When you say something that wounds someone and then say 'I was just kidding,' that is the poison of the asp.
But do not just try harder. Paul's aim here is to drive you to despair of yourself so you will look for a righteousness outside you, the righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21, 22). Let the diagnosis send you to the doctor.
Main takeaway: Our words can carry the stench of death and the venom of a serpent, exposing a sin problem only God can heal.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Imagine a big hole in the ground that smells really bad. That is what our words can be like when we say mean things. And imagine a little snake hiding in the grass that can bite you. That is what our words can be like when we say things that hurt. God wants our words to be kind and true.
For ages 9, 12
Paul uses strong pictures to show something true about all of us. An open tomb gives off a terrible smell, that is the effect of gossip and insults. The poison of a snake kills quickly, that is how a mean word or a lie can destroy a friendship or someone's confidence. The scary part is that we do this naturally, without even thinking. Paul wants you to see that you need God to change your heart, not just your vocabulary. Jesus can give you a new way of speaking.
Questions People Ask
What does 'their throat is an open tomb' mean?
It pictures the throat as a grave that is wide open, letting out the stench of decay. Paul means that human speech naturally gives off corruption and death. Our words, left to themselves, wound, deceive, and destroy. It is a shocking image to show that sin affects even the way we talk.
What are 'the poison of asps'?
An asp is a small, venomous snake. Its bite kills quickly unless treated immediately. Paul says the poison of asps is 'under their lips', hidden beneath the surface, like a snake hiding in the sand. Our words can seem harmless but carry deadly intent, like flattery that hides manipulation or criticism disguised as a joke.
Is Paul saying that all people are totally evil?
Paul is describing the human condition apart from God's grace. He is not saying no one ever does a good thing. He is saying that every part of us is touched by sin, including our speech. This diagnosis is the first step toward the cure: he will soon announce that righteousness comes through faith in Jesus, not from our own efforts.
Why does Paul quote Old Testament verses here?
Paul strings together quotes from several psalms and Isaiah to show that the Bible itself declares all people to be under sin. He is not giving his own opinion; he is showing that God's Word has always taught this. By quoting from different passages, he proves that the problem runs through the whole human race, not just one group.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study