James 3:13-18
New Living Translation
True Wisdom Comes from God
13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.[a]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 3:18 Or of good things, or of justice.
James 3:13-18
New English Translation
True Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings.[a] 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. 15 Such[b] wisdom does not come[c] from above but is earthly, natural,[d] demonic. 16 For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating,[e] full of mercy and good fruit,[f] impartial, and not hypocritical.[g] 18 And the fruit that consists of righteousness[h] is planted[i] in peace among[j] those who make peace.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- James 3:13 tn Grk “works in the gentleness of wisdom.”
- James 3:15 tn Grk “This.”
- James 3:15 tn Grk “come down”; “descend.”
- James 3:15 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.
- James 3:17 tn Or “willing to yield,” “open to persuasion.”
- James 3:17 tn Grk “fruits.” The plural Greek term καρπούς has been translated with the collective singular “fruit.”
- James 3:17 tn Or “sincere.”
- James 3:18 tn Grk “the fruit of righteousness,” meaning righteous living as a fruit, as the thing produced.
- James 3:18 tn Grk “is sown.”
- James 3:18 tn Or “for,” or possibly “by.”
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.