Romans 3:13

Open sepulchre [τ α φ ο ς α ν ε ω γ μ ε ν ο ς]. Lit., a sepulchre opened or standing open. Some explain the figure by the noisome exhalations from a tomb. Others refer it to a pit standing open and ready to devour, comparing Jeremiah 5:16, where the quiver of the Chaldaeans is called an open sepulchre. So Meyer and Morison. Godet compares the phrase used of a brutal man : "it seems as if he would like to eat you." Compare Dante's vision of the lion :

"With head uplifted and with ravenous hunger, So that it seemed the air was afraid of him." " Inferno, " 1, 47.

Have used deceit [ε δ ο λ ι ο υ σ α ν]. Hebrew, they smoothed their tongues.

Guile is contrasted with violence in the previous clause. Wyc., with their tongues they did guilingly. The imperfect tense denotes perseverance in their hypocritical professions.