Text -- James 3:9-18 (NET)

3:9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image. 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 3:9

¹ tc Most later mss (Ï), along with several versional witnesses, have θεόν (qeon, “God”) here instead of κύριον (kurion, “Lord”). Such is a predictable variant since nowhere else in the NT is God described as “Lord and Father,” but he is called “God and Father” on several occasions. Further, the reading κύριον is well supported by early and diversified witnesses (̲⁰ א A B C P Ψ 33 81 945 1241 1739), rendering it as the overwhelmingly preferred reading.

² tn Grk “men”; but here ἀνθρώπους (anqrwpous) has generic force, referring to both men and women.

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.”