Text -- James 3:10-18 (NET)

3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters. 3:11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? 3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.

True Wisdom

3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings. 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. 3:15 Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, natural, demonic. 3:16 For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice. 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical. 3:18 And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Jam 3:10

¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

NET Notes: Jam 3:12

¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

NET Notes: Jam 3:13

¹ tn Grk “works in the gentleness of wisdom.”

NET Notes: Jam 3:15

¹ tn Grk “This.”

² tn Grk “come down”; “descend.”

³ tn Grk “soulish,” which describes life apart from God, characteristic of earthly human life as opposed to what is spiritual. Cf. 1 Cor 2:14; 15:44-46; Jude 19.

NET Notes: Jam 3:17

¹ tn Or “willing to yield,” “open to persuasion.”

² tn Grk “fruits.” The plural Greek term καρπούς has been translated with the collective singular “fruit.”

³ tn Or “sincere.”

NET Notes: Jam 3:18

¹ tn Grk “the fruit of righteousness,” meaning righteous living as a fruit, as the thing produced.

² tn Grk “is sown.”

³ tn Or “for,” or possibly “by.”