Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Parallel translations
- WEB “Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips”;
- BSB “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”
- NKJV “Theirthroat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”;
- NASB “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The venom of asps is under their lips”;
- NLT “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.”
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
Drawing on the Psalms, Paul pictures the corruption of human speech as deadly and deceitful. It shows that sin defiles even our words.
Overview
Quoting Psalm 5:9 and Psalm 140:3, Paul illustrates how sin pervades human communication, comparing the throat to an open grave and the tongue to a viper's venom. The vivid imagery exposes the deadly, deceptive nature of fallen speech. Such language demonstrates that sin is not merely outward action but flows from a corrupted heart needing redemption.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Ps 5:9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
- Ps 140:3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
- Matt 23:27–28Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
- Ps 57:4My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
- Jer 9:3–5And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
- Ezek 13:7Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
- Jas 3:5–8Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
- Ps 52:2Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
- Matt 12:34–35O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
- Isa 59:3For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
- Rom 3:4God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
- Ps 36:3The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
- Jer 5:16Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
- Deut 32:33Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.
- Ps 12:3–4The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
- Job 20:14–16Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 3:13 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 Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.