James 3:15

James 3:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
• New International Version (NIV)Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
• English Standard Version (ESV)This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
• New King James Version (NKJV)This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.

Context of James 3:15

13Whois a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show by a good behaviour his works with meekness of wisdom. 14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

James 3:15 word by word

οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν κατερχομένη, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίγειος ψυχικὴ δαιμονιώδης.Read the interlinear

• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• wisdomσοφίαsophia · wisdomG4678
• descendethἐστίesti · he isG2076
• descendethκατέρχομαιkaterchomai · to descendG2718
• notοὐou · noG3756
• aboveἄνωθενanōthen · from above/againG509
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• earthlyἐπίγειοςepigeios · earthlyG1919
• sensualψυχικόςpsuchikos · naturalG5591
• demonicδαιμονιώδηςdaimoniōdēs · demonicG1141

Cross-references for James 3:15

• James 3:17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
• James 1:5If any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him.
• John 3:17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him may be saved.
• 1 Corinthians 3:3For ye are yet carnal: for though there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
• Philippians 3:19Whose end is destruction, whose God is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
• 2 Samuel 13:3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.
• 2 Samuel 15:31And onetold David, saying, Ahithophelis among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
• 2 Samuel 16:23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
• Jeremiah 4:22For my people are foolish, they have not known me; they are silly children, and they have no understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
• Luke 16:8And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
• Romans 1:22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
• 1 Corinthians 1:19For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
• 1 Corinthians 2:6However we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
• 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.
• Jude 1:19These are they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Commentaries on James 3:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15This wisdom descendeth not from above - God is not the author of it, because it is bitter - not meek. See at the end of this chapter. Is earthly - Having this life only in view. Sensual - · Animal - having for its object the gratification of the passions and animal propensities. Devilish - · Demoniacal - inspired by demons, and maintained in the soul by their indwelling influence.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15This wisdom descendeth not from above - Compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 3:3. The wisdom here referred to is that carnal or worldly wisdom which produces strife and contention; that kind of knowledge which leads to self-conceit, and which prompts a man to defend his opinions with over-heated zeal. In the contentions which are in the world, in church and state, in neighborhoods and families, at the bar, in political life, and in theological disputes…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. 15Earthly wisdom is not part of God's good creation. It is the opposite of heavenly wisdom because it leaves out God. It is unspiritual because it does not acknowledge or respond to God's Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14; Jude 1:19). It is demonic because it comes from the devil, who is the ultimate source of this wisdom that destroys (James 3:6; 4:6; 1 Timothy 4:1).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. This wisdom--in which ye "glory," as if ye were "wise" (Jas 3:13, 14). descendeth not from above--literally, "is not one descending," &c.: "from the Father of lights" (true illumination and wisdom), Jas 1:17; through "the Spirit of truth," Joh 15:26. earthly--opposed to heavenly. Distinct from "earthy," 1Co 15:47. Earthly is what is IN the earth; earthy, what is of the earth. sensual--literally, "animal-like": the wisdom of the "natural" (the same…Read the comment

Topics related to James 3:15

• Righteousness
• Strife

In the dictionaries

• Course
• Governor
• Obey
• Offend
• Ought
• Tame
• Earthly
• James, Epistle of
• Sensual
• demon, evil spirit, unclean spirit

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