Romans 3:13-14
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The imagery here isn't just about what people say, but the very source and intent behind their words. The "open grave" and "venom of asps" aren't merely describing bad language, but the deadliness and hidden corruption that spews forth from a heart truly alienated from God.
“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is presenting overwhelming evidence from Scripture that no one, Jew or Gentile, is righteous before God; he's showing how sin has corrupted humanity universally. These verses, drawn from Old Testament Psalms, describe the destructive nature of ungodly speech, revealing how lies, slander, and deceit spew from the mouths of those enslaved by sin. This paints a grim picture of humanity's fallen condition, setting the stage for God's solution found in the gospel.
Paul uses incredibly stark imagery to describe the words of those who are not following God. What makes their speech so destructive?
The verse compares the unrighteous person's throat to an "open sepulchre." This isn't just about saying bad things; it's about words that are deadly and repulsive.
Words Like Death
The imagery of a serpent's poison is powerful. What does it tell us about the hidden nature and intent behind destructive words?
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The phrase "the poison of asps is under their lips" points to a deeply ingrained malice and a deceptive intent.
Beneath the Surface
Understand the original words
larynx · Greek Noun
The organ of speech used metaphorically to represent the source of corrupt communication. In Scripture, it is a primary vehicle through which human depravity is expressed.
taphos aneōgmenos · Greek Noun phrase
A metaphor for corruption and death emanating from within. It suggests that what proceeds from the human heart is spiritually decaying and destructive to others.
edoliousan · Greek Verb
To lead astray or induce error through falsehood. It is a fundamental activity of the sinful nature to pervert the truth for selfish gain.
ios aspidōn · Greek Noun phrase
A reference to malicious and destructive speech. It conveys the idea that words can be as lethal and poisonous as a serpent’s venom.
pikrias · Greek Noun
Expressions of ill-will, resentment, or a harsh, malicious spirit. It reflects an internal corruption that manifests in hostile interactions with others.
Paul uses powerful Old Testament imagery, originally directed at various forms of sin and deception in ancient Israel, to paint a stark picture of humanity's universal fallenness before God.
c. 5th century BC
Compilation of Old Testament Texts
Key texts from the Psalms and Isaiah, which Paul quotes in Romans 3, are collected and widely circulated.
c. 2nd century BC
Septuagint Translation
The Hebrew Bible is translated into Greek, making the Old Testament accessible to a wider audience, including Paul and his readers.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
The central event of Christianity occurs, forming the basis of Paul's theological arguments about sin and redemption.
c. AD 50-60— this verse
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
The Apostle Paul likely writes his letter to the Romans during his time in Corinth, drawing on his understanding of Scripture and the experience of the early church.
c. AD 64
Great Fire of Rome
While not directly mentioned, this event and the subsequent persecution of Christians under Nero create a backdrop of suffering and external pressure on the Roman church.
This passage is one of the primary sources for the imagery Paul uses, describing the wicked and their deceitful words as an 'open grave' and poisonous tongues.
Psalm 140:3This psalm provides the vivid comparison of the tongue to the 'poison of asps,' illustrating the deadly and hidden nature of malicious speech.
James 3:8This New Testament passage directly echoes the theme of the tongue's destructive power, calling it an 'unruly evil, full of deadly poison,' underscoring the pervasive sin of uncontrolled speech.
Matthew 12:34Jesus speaks about the abundance of the heart, stating that 'out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,' connecting corrupt speech directly to an unrighteous inner state, much like Paul's indictment in Romans.
barnesRomans 3:13: "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:"
Their throat ... - This expression is taken from Psalm 5:9 , literally from the Septuagint. The design of the psalm is to reprove those who were false, traitorous, slanderous, etc. Psalm 5:6 . The psalmist has the sin of deceit, and falsehood, and slander particularly in his eye. The expressions here are to be interpreted in accordance with that. The sentiment here…
ellicottRomans 3:13: "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:"
(13) Their throat is an open sepulchre — i.e., their speech is at once corrupt and corrupting. It is compared to a “yawning grave”—not merely to a pit into which a man may fall, but to a sort of pestiferous chasm yawning and ravening, as it were, after its prey. They have used deceit.—Strictly, they were deceiving; a continued action brought up to the present time.…
The imagery here isn't just about what people say, but the very source and intent behind their words. The "open grave" and "venom of asps" aren't merely describing bad language, but the deadliness and hidden corruption that spews forth from a heart truly alienated from God.
Paul is presenting overwhelming evidence from Scripture that no one, Jew or Gentile, is righteous before God; he's showing how sin has corrupted humanity universally. These verses, drawn from Old Testament Psalms, describe the destructive nature of ungodly speech, revealing how lies, slander, and deceit spew from the mouths of those enslaved by sin. This paints a grim picture of humanity's fallen condition, setting the stage for God's solution found in the gospel.
Paul is presenting overwhelming evidence from Scripture that no one, Jew or Gentile, is righteous before God; he's showing how sin has corrupted humanity universally. These verses, drawn from Old Testament Psalms, describe the destructive nature of ungodly speech, revealing how lies, slander, and deceit spew from the mouths of those enslaved by sin. This paints a grim picture of humanity's fallen condition, setting the stage for God's solution found in the gospel.
"“Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”" — The imagery here isn't just about what people say, but the very source and intent behind their words. The "open grave" and "venom of asps" aren't merely describing bad language, but the deadliness…
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Last reviewed October 2026
