James 3:12

A fig tree, my brothers, cannot make olives, or a grapevine figs. In the same way, no one spring makes water salty and sweet.

A Conservative Version

In The King James Version

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

In Context

11Does the spring pour out from the same opening the sweet and the bitter?

13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show from his good behavior his works in mildness of wisdom.

Read all of James 3

Cross References

2 Kings 2:19And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the ground barren.

Jeremiah 2:21Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed. How then have thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?

Matthew 7:16From their fruits ye will know them. Do they gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

Luke 6:43For a good tree is not producing corrupt fruit, nor a corrupt tree producing good fruit.

Matthew Henry on James 3:2-13

Government of the Tongue. ( a. d. 61.) 1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study James 3:12