3:10

In this verse, James summarized the statement he made in 3:9 and then made a comment on it.

3:10a

Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing: In some languages, blessing and cursing are not normally described as things that can come or go. So it may not be possible to translate this clause literally. It may be necessary to say something like:

We use our mouths both to bless and to curse.
-or-
The same mouth speaks praises and curses.
-or-
with our tongues we speak both praises and curses (Contemporary English Version)

blessing and cursing: When you translate the words blessing and cursing, use words that are the same as, or related to, the words you used in 3:9. For example:

blessing and cursing (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
you speak well of one and evil against the other

3:10b

My brothers: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as My brothers refers to other believers in Christ. It refers to both the men and women to whom James was writing. James used the term of address My brothers here to soften his rebuke (“this should not be”). You may have another way in your language to soften a rebuke and could use it here.

This same phrase occurs at 1:2a.

The Greek text actually places the phrase My brothers in the middle of “this should not be.” In some languages, it may be more natural to place it at the end. For example:

This should not be so, my friends. (Revised English Bible)

this should not be!: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this should not be is a strong rebuke. It means that it is quite wrong for people to speak both praises and curses. James is not saying that it is wrong to speak praises. He is saying that it is wrong to speak curses.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

this should not happen (God’s Word)
-or-
this isn’t right (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
what is being done should not be like that
-or-
we should not do this

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible. BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.