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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of 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.

Context of James 3:13

11Does a spring send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, 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

• Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• amongἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• you is wiseσοφόςsophos · wiseG4680
• and understandingἐπιστήμωνepistēmōn · knowingG1990
• Let him showδεικνύωdeiknuō · to showG1166
• goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• behaviorἀναστροφήanastrophē · behaviourG391
• his deedsἔργονergon · workG2041
• in the gentlenessπραΰτηςprautēs · gentlenessG4240
• of wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678

Cross-references for James 3:13

• James 3:1Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment.
• Psalms 107:43Who is wise? He is to pay attention to these things, And consider the mercy of the Lord.
• Ecclesiastes 8:1Who is like the wise person and who knows the meaning of a matter? A person’s wisdom illuminates his face and makes his stern face brighten up.
• Jeremiah 9:12Who is the wise person who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land destroyed, laid waste like the desert, so that no one passes through?
• Matthew 7:24“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
• 1 Corinthians 6:5I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you anyone wise who will be able to decide between his brothers and sisters,
• Galatians 6:4But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting, but to himself alone, and not to another.
• 2 Chronicles 2:12Then Huram continued, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a house for the Lord and a royal palace for himself.
• Job 28:28And to mankind He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to turn away from evil is understanding.’”
• Isaiah 11:3And He will delight in the fear of the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make decisions by what His ears hear;
• Daniel 2:21It is He who changes the times and the periods; He removes kings and appoints kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to people of understanding.
• James 2:18But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
• Isaiah 60:6A multitude of camels will cover you, The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, And proclaim good news of the praises of the Lord.
• 2 Corinthians 8:24Therefore, openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.
• 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
• Philippians 1:27Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together 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