Romans 3:13
““Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips”;”
What does Romans 3:13 mean?
Paul is painting a picture of how deeply sin corrupts human nature, using vivid language from the Psalms. He's saying that when people turn away from God, their words become instruments of harm, whether through open cruelty, hidden deception, or poisonous speech that seems smooth on the surface but carries real damage underneath. The imagery of tombs and venom emphasizes that destructive speech doesn't just disappear, it infects and contaminates everything around it. This is part of Paul's broader argument that all of us, without exception, struggle with broken speech and broken hearts, which is why we all need God's grace and forgiveness.