Romans 3 13

Romans 3:13 kjv

Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

Romans 3:13 nkjv

"Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips";

Romans 3:13 niv

"Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips."

Romans 3:13 esv

"Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips."

Romans 3:13 nlt

"Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies."
"Snake venom drips from their lips."

Romans 3 verses

Romans 3 13 Meaning

Romans 3:13 vividly describes the profound sinfulness of humanity, particularly as it manifests in speech. "Their throat is an open sepulchre" portrays words as emanating from a place of death, decay, and corruption, defiling everything they touch, much like the putrid stench and disease associated with an unsealed tomb. This indicates an internal state of spiritual death that outwardly contaminates. "With their tongues they have used deceit" directly states the active engagement in falsehood, trickery, and treacherous communication. Their words are not merely careless but are intentionally crafted to mislead and harm. Finally, "the poison of asps is under their lips" employs a striking metaphor of deadly venom. It signifies that their speech carries a destructive, insidious, and lethal power, capable of inflicting deep harm, much like the bite of a venomous snake, ready to strike from behind a deceptively innocent appearance. This collective imagery highlights the pervasive and destructive nature of sin in human communication, reflecting an inner spiritual brokenness.

Romans 3 13 Context

Romans 3:13 is part of Paul's extended argument (Rom 1:18–3:20) demonstrating the universal sinfulness of both Gentiles and Jews. In this section, Paul aims to prove that all humanity stands condemned before a holy God, thus highlighting the absolute necessity of God's righteousness revealed in Christ. Verses 10-18 form a powerful "catena" or chain of Old Testament scriptures (primarily from Psalms and Isaiah), strung together by Paul to paint a comprehensive and undeniable portrait of human depravity.

Historically, this passage would confront the Jewish listeners who might have found confidence in their Law and their identity as God's chosen people, thinking themselves superior to the "godless" Gentiles. Paul strategically uses their own scriptures to show that even under the Law, they, too, are deeply implicated in sin. The language used in these verses, particularly the vivid imagery, serves a polemical purpose: it challenges any self-righteousness or false security based on mere external observance or national identity, asserting that the problem of sin is internal, pervasive, and affects every aspect of human life, especially speech and social interaction.

Romans 3 13 Word analysis

• Their (autōn - αὐτῶν): Refers to "all under sin" (Rom 3:9), encompassing all humanity—Jews and Gentiles alike. It emphasizes the universal scope of this corruption.
• throat (larynx - λάρυγξ): This is the windpipe, the passage through which speech, breath, and food pass. Here, it signifies the very source or origin from which words emanate, indicating that what comes forth from a person's mouth is tainted from its deep roots within.
• is an open sepulchre (taphos aneogmenos - τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος):
  • Taphos (tomb/grave): Symbolizes death, decay, putrefaction, and spiritual impurity.
  • Aneogmenos (opened/unsealed): Highlights that this corruption is not contained but actively expelled, releasing defiling elements into the world. In Jewish purity laws, touching an open grave or bone would make one unclean (Num 19:16). Thus, human speech, springing from this "sepulchre," contaminates.
• with their tongues (glossais - γλώσσαις): The physical organ of speech. It emphasizes the instrument actively employed in evil communication.
• they have used deceit (edoliousan - ἐδολιοῦσαν):
  • Dolos (deceit/guile/fraud): Not mere error, but cunning, treacherous, and intentional deception. It suggests manipulation and treachery in words. The active verb implies continuous engagement in this harmful practice.
• the poison (ios - ἰὸς): Refers to a harmful, corrosive substance, specifically venom from a snake. It underscores the deadly, destructive, and corrupting nature of the words spoken.
• of asps (aspidōn - ἀσπίδων): Refers to highly venomous snakes, particularly the Egyptian cobra. It symbolizes a sudden, potent, and lethal strike, emphasizing the fatal harm inflicted by their speech.
• is under their lips (hupo ta cheilē autōn - ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν):
  • Cheilē (lips): The visible part of the mouth from which words issue.
  • Hupo (under): Suggests that the venom is hidden, latent, and ready to be discharged at any moment, signifying the insidious nature of their words that, while appearing normal, carry a hidden danger.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Their throat is an open sepulchre": This phrase metaphorically connects the internal source of speech (the throat) to a place of death and corruption. It signifies that what is uttered reflects a putrid, morally decayed inner state. The breath or sound coming forth is tainted, offensive, and spiritually deadly, like the foul air from a decaying tomb. This imagery underscores the defiling power of sin manifesting through the spoken word.
• "with their tongues they have used deceit": This group focuses on the deliberate and active engagement in deceptive communication. It's not just that they sometimes lie, but their "tongues" are characterized by their consistent and active use of "deceit." This emphasizes intentional falsehood, trickery, and treacherous manipulation through speech, highlighting the moral bankruptcy that pervades their verbal interactions.
• "the poison of asps is under their lips": This potent image speaks to the hidden yet deadly potential of human speech. The "poison of asps" implies a fatal, swift, and insidiously destructive impact. The phrase "under their lips" suggests that this destructive potential is concealed, yet ever-present and ready to strike with lethal force, conveying the insidious and lethal power that sin gives to the human word, akin to a venomous bite.

Romans 3 13 Bonus section

The catena of Old Testament scriptures (Rom 3:10-18) that includes verse 13 is crucial to Paul's argument. He is not merely picking isolated verses; he is creating a comprehensive and damning portrait of human sinfulness drawn directly from the Jewish Law, their sacred texts. This technique would have been highly persuasive to his Jewish audience, using their own authoritative scriptures to convict them alongside the Gentiles.

The chosen metaphors in Rom 3:13—the "open sepulchre," "deceit," and "poison of asps"—are exceptionally graphic and visceral. They emphasize the deeply offensive nature of human speech from God's perspective. It's not just a polite way of saying "people lie"; it uses extreme imagery to convey the horrific spiritual reality of unregenerate communication. This serves to establish the "boundary" that without God's intervention, all human communication is fundamentally flawed and morally bankrupt, making redemption through Christ the only solution for true speech and life. This section is primarily concerned with establishing the gravity of sin, setting the stage for the glorious revelation of justification by faith in the verses that follow.

Romans 3 13 Commentary

Romans 3:13, a direct quote from Psalm 5:9 and Psalm 140:3, serves as a cornerstone in Paul's theological argument for universal human sinfulness. Paul masterfully employs these vivid Old Testament descriptions to illustrate the profound and pervasive corruption that has permeated humanity's very essence, specifically focusing on the most outwardly expressive aspect of human interaction: speech.

The "open sepulchre" metaphor conveys the putrefaction of the inner person. Just as a tomb emits the stench of death and decay, so too do the words of the unredeemed reflect a spiritual lifelessness and moral decomposition. This isn't just about uttering "bad" words; it suggests that every utterance, when not constrained or transformed by God, inherently carries the stench of spiritual death. Coupled with "deceit," it indicates a fundamental inclination towards guile, where truth is twisted, relationships are undermined, and harm is intentionally inflicted. This isn't a mere slip of the tongue but a deep-seated characteristic of a heart far from God. The final image, "the poison of asps," brings a terrifying lethality to the discussion. It portrays human words as subtle, deadly weapons, ready to inject venom into conversations and relationships, causing immense and often irreversible damage. Like venom, the harm might not be immediately visible but slowly works its way through, bringing spiritual or relational death.

This verse therefore asserts that human depravity extends far beyond overt actions; it corrupts our very capacity for communication, turning speech into a channel for defilement, deception, and destruction. This condition underscores the dire need for God's righteousness, freely given in Christ, which alone can cleanse the heart and transform the tongue into an instrument of grace and truth. It also reminds believers of the immense power and responsibility inherent in their words, challenging them to cultivate speech that reflects the life and holiness of God.