James 3:13–17
Wisdom from above shows in conduct, not in jealousy or rivalry
Study it word by word13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct his works in the gentleness of wisdom.
14But if you have bitter jealousy and rivalry in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth.
15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but it is earthly, natural, demonic.
16For where there are jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and every vile practice.
17But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, considerate, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without making distinctions, without hypocrisy.
In its context
11A spring does not pour forth from the same opening the sweet and the bitter, does it?
12My brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives, or a vine figs, can it? Neither can salt water produce sweet water.
…
18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
Its words in the original
- σοφὸςsophos· wise
Wise, skilled, clever.
- ἐπιστήμωνepistēmōn· knowledgeable
Knowledgeable, understanding: someone who knows.
- δειξάτωdeixatō· show
Show, point out.
- καλῆςkalēs· good, beautiful
Good, beautiful, noble.
- ἀναστροφῆςanastrophēs· conduct, way of life
Conduct, the way one lives day by day.
- ἔργαerga· work
Work, deed, what someone does.
- πραΰτητιpraytēti· gentleness
Gentleness: a mild and humble way of treating others.
- σοφίαςsophias· wisdom
Wisdom.
- ζῆλονzēlon· zeal, jealousy
Zeal, ardor; also jealousy.
- πικρὸνpikron· bitter
Bitter; also harsh.
- ἔχετεechete· have
Have, possess, hold.
- ἐριθείανeritheian· selfish ambition
Selfish ambition, rivalry: seeking one's own interest or that of one's party.
- καρδίᾳkardiai· heart
Heart: the center of the person, where one thinks, feels and decides.
- κατακαυχᾶσθεkatakauchasthe· boast over
Boast against, look down on another; also triumph over.
- ψεύδεσθεpseudesthe· lie
To lie.
- ἀληθείαςalētheias· truth
Truth.
- ἔστινestin· be
Be, exist.
- ἄνωθενanōthen· from above, again
From above; also again, anew.
- κατερχομένηkaterchomenē· come down
Come down, go down from a higher place.
- ἐπίγειοςepigeios· earthly
Earthly, of the earth.
- ψυχικήpsychikē· natural, unspiritual
Natural: belonging to ordinary human life, living by human nature alone and not by the Spirit. "A natural body", the body of this present life.
- δαιμονιώδηςdaimoniōdēs· demonic
Demonic: like the demons.
- ὅπουhopou· where
Where, wherever.
- ἀκαταστασίαakatastasia· disorder, unrest
Disorder, unrest, uprising.
- φαῦλονphaulon· evil, worthless
Bad, worthless.
- πρᾶγμαpragma· matter, thing
Matter, thing, affair; also a deed, or a lawsuit.
- πρῶτονprōton· first
First, foremost.
- ἁγνήhagnē· pure
Pure, clean, without stain in one's conduct.
- ἔπειταepeita· then, afterward
Then, afterward.
- εἰρηνικήeirēnikē· peaceful
Peaceful, peaceable: bringing or living in peace.
- ἐπιεικήςepieikēs· gentle, gentleness
Gentle, considerate, not demanding strictly what is due to him.
- εὐπειθήςeupeithēs· open to reason
Open to reason, willing to be persuaded; compliant.
- μεστὴmestē· full
Full.
- ἐλέουςeleous· mercy
Mercy: compassion that acts.
- καρπῶνkarpōn· fruit
Fruit; also the result of what someone does.
- ἀγαθῶνagathōn· good
Good.
- ἀδιάκριτοςadiakritos· impartial, unwavering
Impartial: without making distinctions; also without wavering.
- ἀνυπόκριτοςanypokritos· sincere, genuine
Sincere, without hypocrisy, unpretended.