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The Bible Study New Testament

James 3:17

But the wisdom from above. "This is the kind of wisdom which ought to guide every teacher of religion!" Pure. Not adulterated with false teaching and evil desires. Peaceful, in contrast to the quarreling and fighting of the other "wisdom" (James 3:15). Gentle, not violent, harsh, or relentless. Friendly. Full of good will toward others, easily persuaded to forgive. Compassion. Showing mercy to others, generous. Good deeds, which praise God. See James 1:27: Matthew 5:16. Free from. Prejudice and hypocrisy go together. One who has the true wisdom will be free from such things! See 1 Peter 1:22.

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See also James 3:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 17. _THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE_] The pure religion of the Lord Jesus, bought by his blood, and infused by his Spirit. See the rabbinical meaning of this phrase at the end of this chapter. _...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BUT THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE - Compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 2:6. The wisdom which has a heavenly origin, or which is from God. The man who is characterised by that wisdom will be pure, peac...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    III. THE EVILS OF THE TONGUE CORRECTED CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The tongue and its work (James 3:1)_ 2. The wisdom which is earthly and the wisdom that is from above (James 3:13) James 3:1 The practical cha...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Who is enlightened among you, and a man of knowledge? Let him exhibit the fruits of it by a noble life, with the humility that true enlightenment brings. We must be careful to remember that meekness i...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE TEACHER'S PERIL (James 3:1) _ 3:1 My brothers, it is a mistake for many of you to become teachers, for you must be well aware that those of us who teach will receive a greater condemnation._ In...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    The wisdom which comes from above is first pure, then peaceable, considerate, willing to yield, full of mercy and of good fruits, undivided in mind, without hypocrisy. For the seed which one day produ...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    PURE. Greek. _hagnos._ See 2 Corinthians 7:11. PEACEABLE. Greek. _eirenikos._ Only here and Hebrews 12:11. Peace must not be sought at the expense of truth. GENTLE. Greek. _epieikes_. See...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable_ The sequence is that of thought, not of time. It is not meant, i. e. that purity is an earlier stage of moral growth in wisdom than pe...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    The insertion of καὶ in T. R. before ἀνυπόκριτος is against the best authority. 17. Ἡ ἌΝΩΘΕΝ ΣΟΦΊΑ, THE HEAVENLY WISDOM, the supreme excellence of the religious life, in which the child Jesus kept adv...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    13–18. BUT BESIDES THE EFFECT AND DANGERS OF SPEECH, THE TOPIC OF TEACHING SUGGESTS ANOTHER POINT—THE POSSESSION AND USE OF WISDOM. HENCE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TRUE WISDOM AND THE FALSE WISDOM...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _CONCERN FOR TRUE WISDOM -- JAMES 3:13-18:_ If one is to be a teacher of God's word he must be a truly wise person. True wisdom is found only in those of Christ-like character. A correct, consistent,...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΆΓΝΉ _fem. пот. от_ ΆΓΝΌΣ (G53) чистый. Предполагается искренность, моральная и духовная целостность (Adamson), ΕΙΡΗΝΙΚΌΣ (G1516) мирный, миролюбивый, миротворец, ΕΠΙΕΙΚΉΣ (G1933) мягкий, разумный в...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 2369 THE NATURE OF TRUE RELIGION James 3:17. _The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy tube entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partialit...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _THIRTEEN THREE-POINT SERMON STARTERS_ WISDOM DEMONSTRATED James 3:13 Introduction: We are here for the purpose of demonstrating wisdom and understanding in the ways of God. 1. How we show it. (By...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    WISDOM FROM ABOVE _Text 3:17-18_ James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without h...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. FIRST PURE, [ hagnee (G5...

  • Commentary on the Minor Epistles by Caton

    VERSE 17. BUT THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE. A different view of things is here now presented. The beauty and grandeur of another vision is spread before us. The wisdom which is from above exhibits no...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    20 The case of Abraham is most helpful in further defining the distinct viewpoints of Paul and James. The former refers us to the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, the latter to the twenty-second. In the...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    3:17 unquestioning, (f-19) Or 'uncontentious,' that is, in contrast with contentious pretension to wisdom. practical righteousness bears the fruit of peace for those who make peace....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    EASY TO BE INTREATED] better, 'teachable,' ready to welcome truth from whatever quarter it may come, not refusing the guidance of others. WITHOUT PARTIALITY] better, 'free from double-mindedness,'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CONTROL OF THE TONGUE 1, 2. Warning against undue eagerness to teach: cp. Matthew 12:37; Matthew 23:7; Romans 2:19; 1 Corinth

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    WHAT *FAITH SHOULD DO JAMES _IAN MACKERVOY_ The word list at the end explains words with a *star by them. CHAPTER 3 RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TEACHER 3:1-5A V1 My Christian brothers and sisters,...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BUT THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE... — Whereas, in sweetest contrast to all this repulsive foulness and riot, the true _wisdom from above is first pure,_ chaste as the Lamb of God, “the Word made fles...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 17 THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE. James 3:17 AT the beginning of his Epistle St. James exhorts those of his readers who feel their lack of wisdom to pray for it. It is one of those good and...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἡ δὲ ἄνωθεν σοφία : the divine character of wisdom is beautifully expressed in Wis 7:25, ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστιν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως, καὶ ἀπόρροια τῆς τοῦ παντοκράτορος δόξης εἰλικρινής. ἁγνή : in Wis 9:10,...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    James 3:1-18 form a self-contained section; the subject dealt with is the bridling of the tongue, see above James 1:19; James 1:26-27....

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    SEEK WISDOM FROM ABOVE James 3:13 The true wisdom is not the child of the intellect, but of the heart. It consists not only in what we know, but in what we are. It is in this sense that it is used in...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The writer now proceeded to show the effect of faith on speech. Beginning with the warning against every man setting up to teach, he proceeded to deal with the power of speech. He likened the tongue t...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    THE FRUITS OF HEAVENLY WISDOM In contrast to the wisdom from the devil, James presents the wisdom from heaven. He begins his list of the fruits of heavenly wisdom with the word "pure." It might be des...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of (d) mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (d) He sets mercy ag...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Suadibilis, _Greek: eupeithes; which may either signify easy to be persuaded or who can easily persuade._...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    But the true wisdom, which is from above,...is chaste, and pure, peaceable, modest, free from such divisions, tractable, easy to be persuaded [6] of the truths foretold in the Scriptures, &c. Now the...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (15) This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. (16) For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. (17) But the wisdom that is from above is f...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    To the reader who enters on the consideration of the epistle of James from the epistles of Paul, the change is great and sudden, and by no means least of all from the epistle to the Hebrews, which, in...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _MARKS OF TRUE WISDOM_ ‘But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.’...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    17_But the wisdom which is from above_. He now mentions the effects of celestial wisdom which are wholly contrary to the former effects. He says first that it is _pure_; by which term he excludes hypo...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In Chapter 3 the apostle recurs to the tongue, the most ready index to the heart, the proof whether the new man is inaction, whether nature and self-will are under restraint. But there is hardly anyth...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE,.... Which has God for its author; which is infused into the soul by the Spirit of God; and leads into the knowledge of things that are above, of heavenly things; and...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, _and_ easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Ver. 17. _Easy to be ent...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _But the wisdom that is from above_ Of celestial origin; which comes from God; _is first pure_ From all unholy and corrupt mixtures, whether of error or sin. It is agreeable to the tenor of divine and...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    PURE; in its nature, and in its effects on the person himself and on others. All who are guided by heavenly wisdom will manifest a heavenly spirit; and none have reason to expect acceptance with Chris...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Warning against strife:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BUT THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE IS FIRST PURE, THEN PEACEABLE, GENTLE, AND EASY TO BE ENTREATED, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS, WITHOUT PARTIALITY, AND WITHOUT HYPOCRISY....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Here we begin a fourth division of the book, which continues to the end of Ch.4; in which our walk is tested by the circumstances of the world. Certainly in the previous Chapter s there is emphasis al...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    How would you describe wisdom that is from above? How is it pure? How is it peaceable? How is it gentle? How is it willing to yield? How is it full of mercy? How does it bear good fruit? How is it wit...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    WITHOUT PARTIALITY: Or, without wrangling...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy"."But the wisdom from above" -Such wisdom cannot be found out...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    BUT THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE; true wisdom, which is of God, opposed to that which _descendeth not from above,_ JAMES 3:15. IS FIRST PURE; either excluding mixture, and then it is opposed to hypoc...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    James 3:17 But G1161 wisdom G4678 above G509 is G2076 (G5748) first G4412 pure G3303 G53 then...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy, and the fruit of righteousness is so...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    WHAT IS REQUIRED THEREFORE IS NOT EARTHLY WISDOM BUT WISDOM FROM ABOVE (JAMES 3:13) Having warned against the unruly tongue, James now explains how men can ensure that their tongues are under control...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    James 3:17. BUT. Now follows a description of the heavenly wisdom in contrast to the earthly. The heavenly wisdom is described by seven qualities which, as has been well said, are ‘nothing but the sev...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    FIRST PURE (πρωτον μεν αγνη). First in rank and time. Hαγνος is from the same root as αγιος (holy), old adjective, pure from fault, not half-good and half-bad, like that above.THEN PEACEABLE (επει...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    James 3:17 I. Revealed truth the wisdom that is from above is "first pure, then peaceable." These two constitute a pair; they are connected by a link of peculiar significance and power. God preserves...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Control of the tongue. CHARACTERS: God, James. CONCLUSION: The Christian who is not affected by the sins of the tongue but takes care to avoid them, has an undoubted sign of true grace. Th...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    James 3:1. _Be not many masters:_ διδασκαλοι, teachers. In some assemblies they might all prophesy one by one, but no man should be too forward; he will never shine as a teacher, unless he _be_ a teac...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The wisdom that is from above is first pure_ CHARACTERISTICS OF HEAVENLY WISDOM I. IT IS HALLOWED. On the spirit of the man who has it there has fallen a sacred hush, as on a temple which a god inha...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 3:17 The answer to the “disorder” of v. James 3:16 is to seek WISDOM FROM ABOVE. Wisdom produces strong character (compare...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ James 3:13. GOOD CONVERSATION.—Or, his “good life”; “good conduct.” The usual New Testament idea of “conversation.” James 3:14. STRIFE.—Prefer “rivalry.” James 3:15....

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JAMES 3:1 WARNING AGAINST OVER-READINESS TO TEACH, LEADING TO A DISCOURSE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF GOVERNMENT OF

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn to James chapter three. James first of all warns against a desire to teach the Word of God that would stem or emanate just from your own desire to be in front of people or whatever. My bre...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Chronicles 22:12; 1 Chronicles 22:9; 1 Corinthians 12:8; 1 Corinthians 13:4;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    First. Emphasizing its inner quality, pure, as distinguished from its outward expressions. The idea is not first numerically, but first essentially. The other qualities are secondary as outgrowths of...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    But the wisdom from above is first pure — From all that is earthly, natural, devilish. Then peaceable — True peace attending purity, it is quiet, inoffensive. Gentle — Soft, mild, yielding, not rigid....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Our apostle here enters upon. comparison between earthly wisdom, and spiritual heavenly wisdom; between wisdom that is not, and wisdom that is from above. Observe, 1. That wisdom which is not from abo...

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Old Testament