James 3:13

James 3:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
• New International Version (NIV)Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
• New Living Translation (NLT)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.

Context of James 3:13

11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

James 3:13 word by word

Τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων ἐν ὑμῖν; δειξάτω ἐκ τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• a wise manσοφόςsophos · wiseG4680
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• endued with knowledgeἐπιστήμωνepistēmōn · knowingG1990
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• youσύsu · youG4771
• let him shewδεικνύωdeiknuō · to showG1166
• out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• a goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• conversationἀναστροφήanastrophē · behaviourG391
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• meeknessπραΰτηςprautēs · gentlenessG4240
• of wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678

Cross-references for James 3:13

• James 3:1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
• Psalms 107:43Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.
• Ecclesiastes 8:1Who is like the wise? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
• Jeremiah 9:12Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the Lord spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?
• Matthew 7:24"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
• 1 Corinthians 6:5I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,
• Galatians 6:4But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.
• 2 Chronicles 2:12Hiram also said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.
• Job 28:28And he said to man, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.'"
• Isaiah 11:3And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
• Daniel 2:21He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
• James 2:18But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
• Isaiah 60:6A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.
• 2 Corinthians 8:24So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
• Philippians 1:27Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Commentaries on James 3:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Who is a wise man - One truly religious; who, although he can neither bridle nor tame other men's tongues, can restrain his own. And endued with knowledge - · And qualified to teach others. Let him show - Let him by a holy life and chaste conversation show, through meekness and gentleness, joined to his Divine information, that he is a Christian indeed; his works and his spirit proving that God is in him of a truth; and that, from the fullness of a holy…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? - This is spoken with reference to the work of public teaching; and the meaning of the apostle is, that if there were such persons among them, they should be selected for that office. The characteristics here stated as necessary qualifications, are wisdom and knowledge. Those, it would seem, on which reliance had been placed, were chiefly those which were connected with a ready elocution, or the mere…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 These verses show the difference between men's pretending to be wise, and their being really so. He who thinks well, or he who talks well, is not wise in the sense of the Scripture, if he does not live and act well. True wisdom may be know by the meekness of the spirit and temper. Those who live in malice, envy, and contention, live in confusion; and are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such wisdom comes not down from…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13Who is wise and understanding among you: The wisdom from God is not only skill of intelligence or a collection of facts (1:5). It is practical insight and spiritual understanding that shows in moral behavior, as described in 3:17–18 (see also Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:2–4; 2:10–15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. Who--(Compare Psa 34:12, 13). All wish to appear "wise": few are so. show--"by works," and not merely by profession, referring to Jas 2:18. out of a good conversation his works--by general "good conduct" manifested in particular "works." "Wisdom" and "knowledge," without these being "shown," are as dead as faith would be without works [Alford]. with meekness of wisdom--with the meekness inseparable from true "wisdom."Read the comment

Topics related to James 3:13

• Meekness
• Minister, Christian
• Righteousness
• Speaking
• Wisdom
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Wise, Man
• Course
• Governor
• Meekness
• Obey
• Offend
• Ought
• Tame
• Conversation
• good, right, pleasant, better, best, goodness

Commentaries on James 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings