James 3:12

James 3:12

10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?

12 Can a ^afig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?¹ Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom

13 ^aWho is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

14 But if you have ^abitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, ^bdo not boast and lie against the truth.

15 ^aThis wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.

16 For ^awhere envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

17 But ^athe wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, ^bwithout partiality ^cand without hypocrisy.

18 ^aNow the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Commentaries:

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

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Transition from the mouth to the heart.

Can the fig tree, etc.—implying that it is an impossibility: as before in James 3:10 he had said it "ought not so to be." James does not, as Matthew (Matthew 7:16-17), make the question, "Do men gather figs of thistles?" His argument is, No tree "can" bring forth fruit inconsistent with its nature, as for example, the fig tree, olive berries: so if a man speaks bitterly, and afterwards speaks good words, the latter must be so only seemingly, and in hypocrisy, they cannot be real.

so can no fountain . . . salt . . . and fresh—The oldest authorities read, "Neither can a salt (water spring) yield fresh." So the mouth that emits cursing, cannot really emit also blessing.

**Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing James 3:12:**

James 2:12
James 4:11

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James 3:13 >>

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