(yes, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking his life with a curse);
Parallel translations
- KJV Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.
- BSB I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life with a curse—
- NKJV (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul);
- NASB “No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for his life in a curse.
- NLT No, I have never sinned by cursing anyone or by asking for revenge.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Job notes that he never even let his mouth sin by cursing an enemy's life. He restrained not only his actions but his words against foes.
Overview
Job adds that he never allowed himself to call down a curse seeking the death of one who hated him. His restraint extended to the words of his mouth, not merely outward deeds. Such control of speech toward enemies anticipates the gospel ethic of blessing rather than cursing, supremely modeled by Christ, who prayed for the forgiveness of those who crucified him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Pet 3:9not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing.
- Rom 12:14Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse.
- Jas 3:9–10With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God.
- 1 Pet 2:22–23who did not sin, “neither was deceit found in his mouth.”
- Exod 23:4–5“If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.
- Matt 5:43–44“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
- Matt 5:22But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna.
- Eccl 5:2Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
- Jas 3:6And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.
- Eccl 5:6Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?
- Matt 12:36I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Job's cry for a mediator who can lay his hand on both God and man, and his confidence that 'my Redeemer lives' and will stand on the earth, reaches forward to Jesus the living Redeemer.
How Job 31:30 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.