With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The profound inconsistency James highlights is that we use the same tongue, capable of praising the Creator, to curse beings who still bear His image. This isn't just about saying nasty things, but about cursing people who reflect God, even after the Fall, which is an insult to the very one who made them.
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
English Standard Version (ESV)
James is highlighting the incredible hypocrisy of the human tongue. He's just described it as a wild, untamable force capable of immense destruction, and now he points out its paradoxical use: the same tongue that blesses God, our Father, is also used to curse fellow human beings. This is particularly shocking because these cursed individuals are made in God's very image, a truth that should command our reverence, not our venom.
How can the same organ that praises God also be used to tear down others? James reveals the shocking duality of our speech.
James highlights a profound contradiction: with the very same tongue that blesses God, we curse people. This isn't just about hypocrisy; it's about the incredible power we wield with our words.
Blessing God:
Our speech has the capacity to declare God's glory, express gratitude, and worship Him. It's a divine gift meant to honor our Creator.
Cursing People:
Yet, we also use this same gift to curse, malign, and tear down others. This can range from outright imprecations to subtle slander and gossip. It's a perversion of speech's intended purpose.
Why is cursing people, made in God's image, such a serious offense? James draws a theological line that we must not cross.
The reason cursing people is so heinous is because they are "made in the likeness of God." This isn't just a poetic phrase; it's a theological anchor.
God's Reflection:
Even after the Fall, humanity retains a vestige of this divine image. It signifies an inherent dignity and value in every person, reflecting their Creator.
Reverence Due:
Therefore, to curse someone is, in essence, to disrespect the very image of God within them. It's an affront to the One who created them. This calls for a profound reverence for all people, recognizing their God-given worth, no matter their actions or our feelings towards them.
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Understand the original words
eulogeō · Greek Verb
The act of speaking well of, praising, or invoking God's favor. It is a fundamental function of the believer's worship.
kataraomai · Greek Verb
The act of invoking divine judgment or evil upon someone. It is strictly condemned in Scripture as contrary to the command to love one's neighbor.
homoiōsis · Greek Noun
Refers to the creation of humanity in the image of God (Imago Dei). This theological reality provides the basis for the inherent dignity and value of every human being.
This passage is the foundational text for James's argument, establishing that humanity is created in God's image and likeness, which makes cursing fellow humans a profound offense against the Creator.
Genesis 9:6This verse reiterates the significance of the image of God in humanity after the flood, underscoring that harming a person is equivalent to harming God's image, a truth that should restrain destructive speech.
1 Corinthians 11:7Paul echoes the Genesis theme, calling man God's image and glory, highlighting that even in a fallen state, humanity retains a dignity that should command respect and prohibit curses.
1 John 4:20-21This passage directly links loving God with loving our brothers, implying that if we claim to bless God, our speech towards those made in His image must also be loving, not cursing.
clarkeJames 3:9: "Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God."
Therewith bless we God - The tongue is capable of rehearsing the praises, and setting forth the glories, of the eternal King: what a pity that it should ever be employed in a contrary work! It can proclaim and vindicate the truth of God, and publish the Gospel of peace and good will among men: what a pity that it should ever be employed in falsehoods, calumny, or in the…
pulpitJames 3:9: "Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God."
Verses 9, 10. - Examples of the restless character of the tongue: "With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it too we curse men who are made in his image." In the first clause we should read Κύριον (א, A, B, C, Coptic, Syriac, ff, and some manuscripts of the Vulgate) for Θεόν (Receptus, with K, L, and Vulgate). Made after the similitude of God; better, likeness (ὁμ…
The profound inconsistency James highlights is that we use the same tongue, capable of praising the Creator, to curse beings who still bear His image. This isn't just about saying nasty things, but about cursing people who reflect God, even after the Fall, which is an insult to the very one who made them.
James is highlighting the incredible hypocrisy of the human tongue. He's just described it as a wild, untamable force capable of immense destruction, and now he points out its paradoxical use: the same tongue that blesses God, our Father, is also used to curse fellow human beings. This is particularly shocking because these cursed individuals are made in God's very image, a truth that should command our reverence, not our venom.
James is highlighting the incredible hypocrisy of the human tongue. He's just described it as a wild, untamable force capable of immense destruction, and now he points out its paradoxical use: the same tongue that blesses God, our Father, is also used to curse fellow human beings. This is particularly shocking because these cursed individuals are made in God's very image, a truth that should command our reverence, not our venom.
"With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." — The profound inconsistency James highlights is that we use the same tongue, capable of praising the Creator, to curse beings who still bear His image. This isn't just about saying nasty things, but…
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Last reviewed October 2026