TRV
Translation
Complete Jewish Bible
This wisdom is not the kind that comes down from above; on the contrary, it is worldly, unspiritual, demonic.
Berean Standard Bible
Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
American Standard Version
This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
World English Bible Messianic
This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.
Geneva Bible (1599)
This wisedome descendeth not from aboue, but is earthly, sensuall, and deuilish.
Young's Literal Translation
this wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like,
See also
In the KJVVerse 30,335 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on James 3 verses 13–18
13 ¶ 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.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
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 first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
As the sins before condemned arise from an affectation of being thought more wise than others, and being endued with more knowledge than they, so the apostle in these verses shows the difference between men's pretending to be wise and their being really so, and between the wisdom which is from beneath (from earth or hell) and that which is from above.
I. We have some account of true wisdom, with the distinguishing marks and fruits of it: Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom, Jam 3:13. A truly wise man is a very knowing man: he will not set up for the reputation of being wise without laying in a good stock of knowledge; and he will not value himself merely upon knowing things, if he has not wisdom to make a right application and use of that knowledge. These two things must be put together to make up the account of true wisdom: who is wise, and endued with knowledge? Now where this is the happy case of any there will be these following things: - 1. A good conversation. If we are wiser than others, this should be evidenced by the goodness of our conversation, not by the roughness or vanity of it. Words that inform, and heal, and do good, are the marks of wisdom; not those that look great, and do mischief, and are the occasions of evil, either in ourselves or others. 2. True wisdom may be known by its works. The conversation here does not refer only to words, but to the whole of men's practice; therefore it is said, Let him show out of a good conversation his works. True wisdom does not lie in good notions or speculations so much as in good and useful actions. Not he who thinks well, or he who talks well, is in the sense of the scripture allowed to be wise, if he do not live and act well. 3. True wisdom may be known by the meekness of the spirit and temper: Let him show with meekness, etc. It is a great instance of wisdom prudently to bridle our own anger, and patiently to bear the anger of others. And as wisdom will evidence itself in meekness, so meekness will be a great friend to wisdom; for nothing hinders the regular apprehension, the solid judgment, and impartiality of thought, necessary to our acting wisely, so much as passion. When we are mild and calm, we are best able to hear reason, and best able to speak it. Wisdom produces meekness, and meekness increases wisdom.
II. We have the glorying of those taken away who are of a contrary character to that now mentioned, and their wisdom exposed in all its boasts and productions: "If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, etc., Jam 3:14-16. Pretend what you will, and think yourselves ever so wise, yet you have abundance of reason to cease your glorying, if you run down love and peace, and give way to bitter envying and strife. Your zeal for truth or orthodoxy, and your boasts of knowing more than others, if you employ these only to make others hateful, and to show your own spite and heart-burnings against them, are a shame to your profession of Christianity, and a downright contradiction to it. Lie not thus against the truth." Observe, 1. Envying and strife are opposed to the meekness of wisdom. The heart is the seat of both; but envy and wisdom cannot dwell together in the same heart. Holy zeal and bitter envying are as different as the flames of seraphim and the fire of hell. 2. The order of things here laid down. Envying is first and excites strife; strife endeavours to excuse itself by vain-glorying and lying; and then (Jam 3:16) hereupon ensue confusion and every evil work. Those who live in malice, envy, and contention, live in confusion, and are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such disorders raise many temptations, strengthen temptations, and involve men in a great deal of guilt. One sin begets another, and it cannot be imagined how much mischief is produced: there is every evil work. And is such wisdom as produces these effects to be gloried in? This cannot be without giving the lie to Christianity, and pretending that this wisdom is what it is not. For observe, 3. Whence such wisdom cometh: It descendeth not from above, but ariseth from beneath; and, to speak plainly, it is earthly, sensual, devilish, Jam 3:15. It springs from earthly principles, acts upon earthly motives, and is intent upon serving earthly purposes. It is sensual indulging the flesh, and making provision to fulfil the lusts and desires of it. Or, according to the original word, psuchikē, it is animal of human - the mere working of natural reason, without any supernatural light. And it is devilish, such wisdom being the wisdom of devils (to create uneasiness and to do hurt), and being inspired by devils, whose condemnation is pride (Ti1 3:6), and who are noted in other places of scripture for their wrath, and their accusing the brethren. And therefore those who are lifted up with such wisdom as this must fall into the condemnation of the devil.
III. We have the lovely picture of that wisdom which is from above more fully drawn, and set in opposition to this which is from beneath: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, etc., Jam 3:17, Jam 3:18. Observe here, True wisdom is God's gift. It is not gained by conversing with men, nor by the knowledge of the world (as some think and speak), but it comes from above. It consists of these several things: - 1. It is pure, without mixture of maxims or aims that would debase it: and it is free from iniquity and defilements, not allowing of any known sin, but studious of holiness both in heart and life. 2. The wisdom that is from above is peaceable. Peace follows purity, and depends upon it. Those who are truly wise do what they can to preserve peace, that it may not be broken; and to make peace, that where it is lost it may be restored. In kingdoms, in families, in churches, in all societies, and in all interviews and transactions, heavenly wisdom makes men peaceable. 3. It is gentle, not standing upon extreme right in matters of property; not saying nor doing any thing rigorous in points of censure; not being furious about opinions, urging our own beyond their weight nor theirs who oppose us beyond their intention; not being rude and overbearing in conversation, nor harsh and cruel in temper. Gentleness may thus be opposed to all these. 4. Heavenly wisdom is easy to be entreated, eupeithēs; it is very persuadable, either to what is good or from what is evil. There is an easiness that is weak and faulty; but it is not a blamable easiness to yield ourselves to the persuasions of God's word, and to all just and reasonable counsels or requests of our fellow-creatures; no, nor to give up a dispute, where there appears a good reason for it and where a good end may be answered by it. 5. Heavenly wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits, inwardly disposed to every thing that is kind and good, both to relieve those who want and to forgive those who offend, and actually to do this whenever proper occasions offer. 6. Heavenly wisdom is without partiality. The original word, adiakritos, signifies to be without suspicion, or free from judging, making no undue surmises nor differences in our conduct towards one person more than another. The margin reads it, without wrangling, not acting the part of sectaries, and disputing merely for the sake of a party; nor censuring others purely on account of their differing from us. The wisest men are least apt to be censurers. 7. That wisdom which is from above is without hypocrisy. It has no disguises nor deceits. It cannot fall in with those managements which the world counts wise, which are crafty and guileful; but it is sincere and open, steady and uniform, and consistent with itself. O that you and I may always be guided by such wisdom as this! that with Paul we may be able to say, Not with fleshly wisdom, but in simplicity and godly sincerity, by the grace of God, we have our conversation. And then, lastly, true wisdom will go on to sow the fruits of righteousness in peace, and thus, if it may be, to make peace in the world, Jam 3:18. And that which is sown in peace will produce a harvest of joys. Let others reap the fruits of contentions, and all the advantages they can propose to themselves by them; but let us go on peaceably to sow the seeds of righteousness, and we may depend upon it our labour will not be lost. For light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart; and the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 13–18. Public domain.
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BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Catholic Epistles
This is not the wisdom descending from above, but earthly, unspiritual, demonic. And Paul says that the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God. It should be noted that the natural man, or natural wisdom, is derived not from the animal, but from the soul, as the Apostle testifies, because the first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam a life-giving spirit (I Cor. XV). But it is not first that which is spiritual, but that which is natural. The authority in Greek, in which language ψυχὴ means soul, and ψυχικὸν means natural, confirms that it is derived from the soul. Moreover, though animals in Latin seem to derive their name from the soul, in Greek they have a very different and dissimilar etymology. For they get their name from the fact that they live. Among the Greeks, ζωὴ means life, ζῶα means animals. Therefore, when the Apostle in his Epistles often mentions the carnal man, the natural man, and the spiritual man, he calls spiritual either the Lord Himself, who, appearing in flesh and soul, was full of the Holy Spirit, or every elect person, who, naturally consisting of flesh and soul, also received the grace of the Holy Spirit according to the measure of Christ's gift, by which he is enlightened. But he calls carnal or natural the man who, having no grace of the Spirit, knows only to think or do those things which are naturally implanted in the senses of the flesh or the soul. Therefore, contentious and proud wisdom is rightly remembered as earthly, unspiritual and demonic, because while the soul seeks earthly glory, while, devoid of spiritual grace, remaining alone, it thinks of those things which are naturally implanted in it after the fall of the first transgression, rightly deluded by the evil spirit, it turns to doing those things which are mad and harmful.
OecumeniusAD 990
Commentary on James
Who is wise and has knowledge among you? Let him show by good conversation his working in mildness of wisdom. But if you have bitter zeal, and there be disputes in your hearts: glory not and be not liars against the truth. For this is not wisdom descending from above: but earthly, sensual, devilish. For where zeal and contention is: there is inconstancy, and every perverse work. But the wisdom that is from above, first certainly is faithful: then peaceable, modest, vulnerable, consenting to the good, full of mercy and good fruits, not judging, without distinction. And the fruit of justice, in peace is sowed to them that make peace.
"Who is wise and has knowledge among you?" When men were ambitious and boasted of the wisdom of this world, they preached from disagreement and rivalry of the rulers, openly inciting the people to agitation, and besides, they were wasting away with envy and allowing human things to mingle with divine, so that the examiners were drawn in by the novelty of what was being said; hence also heresies arose. Therefore, after completing the discourse on the slander and intemperance of the tongue, he then transitions to envy, which arises in men from similar recklessness: and he says that these doctrines are not established and firm, as they are not from divine wisdom, but rather demonic. However, he said this to encourage the good teacher, saying that he should show his wisdom through good works with his gentleness. Moreover, since the name of zeal, that is passion, is neutral and indifferent in itself to good and evil. (For zeal, or passion, is a movement of the heart stirred up towards something with some similarity to that which is the object of study or affection) therefore he added bitter zeal, showing what passion leads to. Indeed, contentiousness is a blameworthy contention and obstinacy.
"first certainly is faithful." That is, pure and without stain, adhering to no fleshly thing.
"without distinction." Not discerning the observance of foods and various washings. Paul discusses these matters in detail in the Epistle to the Colossians. (Col. 2:1)
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
James 3:15 starkly defines a destructive form of "wisdom" that originates not from divine revelation but from a fallen, worldly, and even demonic source. This verse serves as a critical warning, contrasting this counterfeit wisdom—characterized by its earthly focus, carnal inclinations, and malevolent intent—with the pure, peaceable, and righteous wisdom that flows from God, setting the stage for a deeper understanding of the spiritual battle for truth and discernment within the community of faith.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
James employs several potent Literary Devices to convey the nature of this false wisdom. The most prominent is Contrast, as James explicitly sets this "wisdom" against the "wisdom that is from above" (James 3:17). This stark juxtaposition highlights the fundamental difference in origin, character, and fruit between the two. Furthermore, James uses a powerful Triadic Structure in the culminating descriptors: "earthly, sensual, devilish." This builds a climactic progression, moving from a merely worldly focus to a carnal, self-centered orientation, and finally to a chillingly demonic influence. The use of these three adjectives serves as a comprehensive and escalating indictment of this ungodly wisdom. The entire passage also functions as a Metaphor for the source of internal strife, portraying a "wisdom" that is not truly wise but destructive, akin to a spiritual disease.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
James 3:15 stands as a profound theological statement on the nature of wisdom, asserting that not all intellectual or strategic acumen is inherently good or from God. It challenges the human tendency to equate cleverness or worldly success with true wisdom, revealing that such "wisdom" can, in fact, be rooted in the fallen human condition and even influenced by malevolent spiritual forces. This perspective aligns with biblical teaching that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10) and is a gift from God, contrasting sharply with the "wisdom of this world" which is foolishness to God (1 Corinthians 1:20-25). The "devilish" aspect underscores the reality of spiritual warfare and the enemy's subtle tactics to sow discord and destruction within human communities, particularly within the church. It calls believers to a deeper discernment, recognizing that the source of their thoughts and motivations is paramount.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
James 3:15 serves as a crucial mirror for self-examination, urging believers to critically assess the source and fruit of their own "wisdom." Do our thoughts, counsel, and actions consistently lead to peace, purity, and unity, or do they subtly foster envy, strife, and division? This verse challenges us to recognize that a focus on self-interest, worldly success, or human reasoning apart from divine truth can subtly lead us down a path that is not only ungodly but potentially aligned with destructive spiritual influences. We are called to cultivate a discerning spirit, recognizing the "earthly, sensual, devilish" characteristics in our own hearts and in the world around us. This means actively rejecting motivations that promote rivalry, gossip, or self-exaltation, and instead earnestly seeking the wisdom that is "from above"—a wisdom characterized by humility, a love for truth, and a fervent desire for the flourishing of others. Our pursuit of wisdom must be rooted in prayer and a deep reliance on God's Word, allowing it to transform our minds and hearts so that we may embody the peaceable and pure wisdom of Christ.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the difference between "earthly," "sensual," and "devilish" wisdom?
Answer: While distinct, these three terms in James 3:15 describe progressive aspects of wisdom that is not from God. "Earthly" (epígeios) refers to wisdom that is limited to the physical world and its concerns; it lacks a spiritual or eternal perspective. It's focused on what can be seen, touched, or achieved in this life. "Sensual" (psychikós) refers to wisdom that originates from the unregenerate human soul or natural mind, driven by carnal desires, instincts, and human reasoning apart from divine revelation. It's the wisdom of the "natural man" (1 Corinthians 2:14). "Devilish" (daimoniṓdēs) is the most severe descriptor, indicating that this wisdom is inspired by or characteristic of demons. It is inherently malicious, aiming to create chaos, division, and destruction, aligning with the purposes of the adversary. These terms move from a worldly focus to a carnal one, and finally to a malevolent, spiritual one, revealing the full scope of ungodly wisdom.
How can I identify this "earthly, sensual, devilish" wisdom in my own life or in others?
Answer: James provides clear indicators in the preceding verse, James 3:14. This false wisdom is characterized by "bitter envying and strife in your hearts." Therefore, look for fruits such as jealousy, contention, division, selfish ambition, arrogance, and a lack of peace. If your "wisdom" or the counsel you receive consistently leads to conflict, disunity, or a focus on self-exaltation rather than humble service and peace, it is likely not from God. True wisdom, by contrast, is "pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy" (James 3:17).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
James 3:15, by describing wisdom that is "earthly, sensual, devilish," implicitly points to the absolute necessity and supremacy of Christ as the embodiment of true wisdom. While this verse warns against counterfeit wisdom, Jesus Christ is revealed in the New Testament as the very wisdom of God incarnate. Paul declares that Christ is "the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24), and in Him "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). Unlike the wisdom described by James, which originates from below and leads to chaos, Jesus's wisdom descends "from above," perfectly reflecting the Father's will and leading to peace, righteousness, and life. His teachings, exemplified in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5), consistently challenged the "earthly" and "sensual" wisdom of His day, calling people to a kingdom perspective that prioritizes humility, love, and spiritual truth over worldly gain or selfish ambition. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Christ not only demonstrated divine wisdom but also made it accessible to believers. By receiving the Holy Spirit, who is the "Spirit of wisdom and revelation" (Ephesians 1:17), followers of Christ are transformed to think and act with wisdom that is pure, peaceable, and truly from God, fulfilling the call to live by a wisdom that is diametrically opposed to the "devilish" influences that seek to divide and destroy.