Romans 3:13

“An open grave is their throat; with their tongues they deceive; the venom of asps is under their lips;”

Romans 3:13 · direct translation from the Greek
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13

Quotation · Psalms 5:9

Go to Psalms 5:9

The series continues with Psalm 5:9: “An open grave is their throat; with their tongue they flatter.”

Formula: καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι “as it is written” (Romans 3:10)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν

Hebrew (Masoretic text): כִּי אֵין בְּפִיהוּ נְכוֹנָה קִרְבָּם הַוּוֹת קֶבֶר פָּתוּחַ גְּרוֹנָם לְשׁוֹנָם יַחֲלִיקוּן

Septuagint (Psalms 5:10 in the Septuagint numbering): ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν ἀλήθεια, ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν ματαία· τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν, ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 9 consecutive words: “τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Quotation · Psalms 140:3

Go to Psalms 140:3

The series continues with Psalm 140:3: “the venom of asps is under their lips.”

Formula: καθὼς γέγραπται ὅτι “as it is written” (Romans 3:10)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: τάφος ἀνεῳγμένος ὁ λάρυγξ αὐτῶν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν

Hebrew (Masoretic text): שָׁנֲנוּ לְשׁוֹנָם כְּמוֹ נָחָשׁ חֲמַת עַכְשׁוּב תַּחַת שְׂפָתֵימוֹ סֶלָה

Septuagint (Psalms 139:4 in the Septuagint numbering): ἠκόνησαν γλῶσσαν αὐτῶν ῶσεὶ ὄφεως, ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν. διάψαλμα.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 6 consecutive words: “ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Romans 3:13, word by word

An openἀνεῳγμένοςaneōigmenos

open

Open.

Where else “aneōigmenos” appears
graveτάφοςtaphos

tomb

Tomb, grave.

Where else “taphos” appears
their throatλάρυγξlarynx

throat

Throat.

Where else “larynx” appears
with their tonguesγλώσσαιςglōssais

tongue

The organ of the mouth used to speak and to taste.

Where else “glōssais” appears
they deceiveἐδολιοῦσανedoliousan

deceive

Deceive, use cunning to deceive.

Where else “edoliousan” appears
the venomἰὸςios

venom

A deadly substance, like a snake's.

Where else “ios” appears
of aspsἀσπίδωνaspidōn

asp

Asp: a poisonous snake.

Where else “aspidōn” appears
their lipsχείληcheilē

lip

The mouth's edge used in speech; what one says.

Where else “cheilē” appears

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Psalms 5:9

The series continues with Psalm 5:9: “An open grave is their throat; with their tongue they flatter.”

See them side by side

Romans 3:13

13An open grave is their throat; with their tongues they deceive; the venom of asps is under their lips;

Psalms 5:9

9For there is nothing certain in his mouth; their inner being is calamity; an open grave is their throat; with their tongue they flatter.

Quotation · Psalms 140:3

The series continues with Psalm 140:3: “the venom of asps is under their lips.”

See them side by side

Romans 3:13

13An open grave is their throat; with their tongues they deceive; the venom of asps is under their lips;

Psalms 140:3

3They sharpen their tongue like a serpent; the venom of an asp is under their lips. Selah.

The context

12All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who does kindness, there is not even one.

13 · This verse (above)

14whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness;

Read all of Romans 3

To study Romans 3 in a group

  1. 1. What it says

    What does Paul say about everyone, and about how they are treated through God's grace? (vv. 22-24)

  2. 2. What it means

    Although some were unfaithful, Paul says God's faithfulness is not nullified. How does he explain this? (vv. 3-4)

  3. 3. How I live it

    Paul speaks of a gift that is not earned (v. 24). How can you live today with gratitude for what you have received without deserving it?

How to use it