James 3:13

If any of you thinks [RHQ] that you are wise and know a lot, you should always act in a good way to show people that your good actions are the result of your being truly wise. Being wise helps us to act gently toward others.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

12My fellow believers, a fig tree cannot [RHQ] produce olives. Nor can [RHQ] a grapevine produce figs. Neither can a salty spring produce good water. Similarly, we should say only good things, and we should not say evil things [MET].

14But if you are very [MET] jealous/unhappy when you see that someone else is succeeding, and always want to have what you want, regardless of what others want, you should not say that you are wise, for by boasting like that, you are saying that ◄ God’s message/what God says about you► is not true.

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Cross References

Numbers 12:3The truth was that Moses/I was very humble. He/I was more humble than anyone else on the earth and Moses/I had not appointed himself/myself to be their leader.

Job 28:28And then he said to humans, ‘Listen! To have an awesome respect for me is what will enable you to become wise; and to truly understand everything, you must first turn away from doing what is evil.’”

Psalms 45:4Ride on like a great chief to defend the truth that you speak and the fair decisions that you make! Because you are strong [MTY], you will do awesome deeds.

Psalms 122:8For the sake of my relatives and friends, I say, “My desire is that that inside Jerusalem people will live peacefully.”

Ecclesiastes 8:1I will tell you about those who are truly wise [RHQ] with the result that they can explain why everything happens. Being wise enables people to be happy [MTY] and enables them to smile.

Isaiah 11:3He will be glad to obey Yahweh. He will not decide whether someone is righteous or not only by seeing what that person looks like, or by listening to what others say about that person.

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

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