Focused Passage

James 3:13-18

The Tongue, True Wisdom, and Peaceable Righteousness

James moves from warning teachers about stricter judgment, to exposing the destructive power and inconsistency of the tongue, to contrasting false wisdom marked by envy and selfish ambition with heavenly wisdom that produces peaceable righteousness.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

14 But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.

15 Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 13

Original words

Who Τίς G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular [is] wise σοφὸς G4680 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction understanding ἐπιστήμων G1990 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular among ἐν G1722 Preposition you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural Let him show it δειξάτω G1166 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular by ἐκ G1537 Preposition [his] τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular good καλῆς G2570 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular conduct ἀναστροφῆς G391 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [by] αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural deeds [done] ἔργα G2041 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] humility πραΰτητι G4240 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular that comes from wisdom σοφίας G4678 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction if εἰ G1487 Conjunction you {harbor} ἔχετε G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural bitter πικρὸν G4089 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular jealousy ζῆλον G2205 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction selfish ambition ἐριθείαν G2052 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition your ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular hearts καρδίᾳ G2588 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular {do} not μὴ G3361 Adverb boast [in it] κατακαυχᾶσθε G2620 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural or καὶ G2532 Conjunction deny ψεύδεσθε G5574 Verb - Present Imperative Middle - 2nd Person Plural . . . κατὰ G2596 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular truth ἀληθείας G225 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 15

Original words

Such αὕτη G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular wisdom σοφία G4678 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular [does] ἔστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular not οὐκ G3756 Adverb - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular come κατερχομένη G2718 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular from above ἄνωθεν G509 Adverb but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction [is] earthly ἐπίγειος G1919 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular unspiritual ψυχική G5591 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular demonic δαιμονιώδης G1141 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Verse 16

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction where ὅπου G3699 Adverb jealousy ζῆλος G2205 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction selfish ambition [exist] ἐριθεία G2052 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular there [ will be ] ἐκεῖ G1563 Adverb disorder ἀκαταστασία G181 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction every πᾶν G3956 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular evil φαῦλον G5337 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular practice πρᾶγμα G4229 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Verse 17

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular [the] wisdom σοφία G4678 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular from above ἄνωθεν G509 Adverb is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular first πρῶτον G4412 Adverb - Superlative [of all] μὲν G3303 Conjunction pure ἁγνή G53 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular then ἔπειτα G1899 Adverb peace-loving εἰρηνική G1516 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular gentle ἐπιεικής G1933 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular accommodating εὐπειθής G2138 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular full μεστὴ G3324 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular of mercy ἐλέους G1656 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction good ἀγαθῶν G18 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural fruit καρπῶν G2590 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural impartial ἀδιάκριτος G87 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular [and] sincere ἀνυπόκριτος G505 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular
Verse 18

Original words

vvv τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural vvv ποιοῦσιν G4160 Verb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural Peacemakers εἰρήνην G1515 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular [who] sow σπείρεται G4687 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition peace εἰρήνῃ G1515 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular [ reap ] δὲ G1161 Conjunction [the] fruit καρπὸς G2590 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of righteousness δικαιοσύνης G1343 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally But the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those making peace.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.