James 3

James · Chapter 3

James 3:15

1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.3Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:8But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.13Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

James 3:13-18Wisdom from above

About James 3"Be not many masters," James warns, for teachers "shall receive the greater condemnation," and anyone who does not offend "in word" is "a perfect man." The tongue is like a bit or a helm, small but steering much: "the tongue is a fire," which "can no man tame," and "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing." True wisdom is shown by good conduct "with meekness," and "the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits." James 3:1James 3:2James 3:3James 3:4James 3:6James 3:8James 3:10James 3:13James 3:17James overview

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
NotοὐκoukG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

isἔστινestinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

thisαὕτηhautēG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

wisdomσοφίαsophiaG4678
wisdom

σοφία (sophia) σοφία, -ας, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for חׇכְמָה ;] skill, intelligence, wisdom, ranging from knowledge of the arts and matters of daily life to mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense; (a) of human wisdom: 1Co.2:1 2:4-5, Jas.3:15, Rev.13:18 17:9; σ. Σολομῶνος, Mat.12:42, Luk.11:31; Αἰγυπτίων, Act.7:22; Ἕλληνες σ. ζητοῦσιν, 1Co.1:22; σ. λόγου, 1Co.1:17; τ. σοφῶν, 1Co.1:19 (LXX); τ. κόσμου, 1Co.1:20-21 3:19; ἀνθρωπίνη, 1Co.2:13; σαρκική, 2Co.1:12; …

from aboveἄνωθενanōthenG0509
from above/again

ἄνωθεν (anōthen) ἄνωθεν adv (ἄνω), (a) from above: ἀπὸ ἄ., Mat.27:51, Mrk.15:38; ἐκ τῶν ἄ., Jhn.19:28; meaning, from heaven: Jhn.3:31 19:11, Jas.1:17 3:15, 17 . (b) from the first, from the beginning: Luk.1:3, Act.26:5; whence (with) anew, again: Jhn.3:3, 7, (so most, but see Meyer, in l; cf. Field, Notes, 86 f.); πάλιν ἄ., Gal.4:9 (MM, VGT, see word).† (AS)

coming down,κατερχομένη,katerchomenēG2718
to descend

κατέρχομαι (katerchomai) κατ-έρχομαι [in LXX: Tob.1:22, א Tob.2:1, Est.3:13, Wis.11:22, 2Ma.11:29 * ;] to come down, go down: before εἰς, Luk.4:31, Act.8:5 13:4 15:30 19:1, Τ; ἀπό, Luk.9:37, Act.15:1 18:5 21:10; ἀπό and εἰς, Act.11:27 12:10; of coming to port by ship, Act.18:22 21:3 27:5; before πρός, with accusative of person(s), Act.9:32; metaphorically, of gifts from God, Jas.3:15.† (AS)

butἀλλ᾽all᾽G0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

[is] earthlyἐπίγειοςepigeiosG1919
earthly

ἐπίγειος (epigeios) ἐπί-γειος, -ον (ἐπί, γῆ), of the earth, earthly: τὰ ἐ., Jhn.3:12 Php.2:10 3:19 (anarth.); σώματα, 1Co.15:40; οἰκία, 2Co.5:1; σοφία, Jas.3:15 (Cremer, 153).† (AS)

unspiritualψυχικὴpsuchikēG5591
natural

ψυχικός (psuchikos) ψυχικός, -ή, -όν (ψυχή) [in LXX: 4Ma.1:32 * ;] of the ψυχή (as the lower part of the immaterial in man), EV, natural: opposite to πνευματικός, 1Co.2:14 15:44 15:46; πνεῦμα μὴ ἔχοντες (EV, sensual; R, mg., natural or animal; better perhaps, of the mind; see infr.), Ju 19; with ἐπίγειος, δαιμονιώδης, opposite to ἄνωθεν κατερχομένη (σοψία), of the mind (Hort, in l), Jas.3:15† (AS)

demonic.δαιμονιώδης.daimoniōdēsG1141
demonic

δαιμονιώδης (daimoniōdēs) δαιμονιώδης, -ες (δαιμόνιον, εἶδος), [in Sm.: Ps 90(91):6 * ;] demon-like: Jas.3:15 (Cremer, 171).† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.