James 3 · Verse 13

James 3:13

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.

James 3:13, King James Version

James 3:13 in other translations

BSB	Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
WEB	Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
ASV	Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.
YLT	Who is wise and intelligent among you? let him shew out of the good behaviour his works in meekness of wisdom,
DARBY	Who is wise and understanding among you; let him shew out of a good conversation his works in meekness of wisdom;
BBE	Who has wisdom and good sense among you? let him make his works clear by a life of gentle wisdom.
Webster	Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show by a good deportment his works with meekness of wisdom.

What does James 3:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

13. Who--(Compare Psa 34:12, 13). All wish to appear "wise": few are so. show--"by works," and not merely by profession, referring to Jas 2:18. out of a good conversation his works--by general "good conduct" manifested in particular "works." "Wisdom" and "knowledge," without these being "shown," are as dead as faith would be without works [Alford]. with meekness of wisdom--with the meekness inseparable from true "wisdom."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 13. Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? This is spoken with reference to the work of public teaching; and the meaning of the apostle is, that if there were such persons among them, they should be selected for that office. The characteristics here stated as necessary qualifications, are wisdom and knowledge. Those, it would seem, on which reliance had been placed, were chiefly those which were connected with a ready elocution, or the mere faculty of speaking. The apostle had stated the dangers which would follow if reliance were placed on that alone, and he now says that something more is necessary, that the main qualifications for the office are wisdom and knowledge. No mere power of speaking, however eloquent it might be, was a sufficient qualification. The primary things to be sought in reference to that office were wisdom and knowledge, and they who were endowed with these things should be selected for public instructors.

Let him shew out of a good conversation. From a correct and consistent life and deportment. On the meaning of the word conversation, Php 1:27. The meaning here is, that there should be an upright life, and that this should be the basis in forming the judgment in appointing persons to fill stations of importance, and especially in the office of teaching in the church.

His works. His acts of uprightness and piety. He should be a man of a holy life.

With meekness of wisdom. With a wise and prudent gentleness of life; not in a noisy, arrogant, and boastful manner. True wisdom is always meek, mild, gentle; and that is the wisdom which is needful, if men would become public teachers. It is remarkable that the truly wise man is always characterized by a calm spirit, a mild and placid demeanour, and by a gentle, though firm, enunciation of his sentiments. A noisy, boisterous, and stormy declaimer we never select as a safe counsellor. He may accomplish much in his way by his bold eloquence of manner, but we do not put him in places where we need far-reaching thought, or where we expect the exercise of profound philosophical views. In an eminent degree, the ministry of the gospel should be characterized by a calm, gentle, and thoughtful wisdom--a wisdom which shines in all the actions of the life.

(a) "who is a wise man" Ps 107:43 (b) "good conversation" Php 1:27 (+) "conversation" or, "By a good behaviour"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 13 Who is a wise man - One truly religious; who, although he can neither bridle nor tame other men's tongues, can restrain his own. And endued with knowledge - Και επιστημων· And qualified to teach others. Let him show - Let him by a holy life and chaste conversation show, through meekness and gentleness, joined to his Divine information, that he is a Christian indeed; his works and his spirit proving that God is in him of a truth; and that, from the fullness of a holy heart, his feet walk, his hands work; and his tongue speaks. We may learn from this that genuine wisdom is ever accompanied with meekness and gentleness. Those proud, overbearing, and disdainful men, who pass for great scholars and eminent critics, may have learning, but they have not wisdom. Their learning implies their correct knowledge of the structure of language, and of composition in general; but wisdom they have none, nor any self-government. They are like the blind man who carried a lantern in daylight to keep others from jostling him in the street. That learning is not only little worth, but despicable, that does not teach a man to govern his own spirit, and to be humble in his conduct towards others.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James 3:13-18

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 not live and act well. True wisdom may be know by the meekness of the spirit and temper. Those who live in malice, envy, and contention, live in confusion; and are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such wisdom comes not down from above, but springs up from earthly principles, acts on earthly motives, and is intent on serving earthly purposes. Those who are lifted up with such wisdom, described by the apostle James, is near to the Christian love, described by the apostle Paul; and both are so described that every man may fully prove the reality of his attainments in them. It has no disguise or deceit. It cannot fall in with those managements the world counts wise, which are crafty and guileful; but it is sincere, and open, and steady, and uniform, and consistent with itself. May the purity, peace, gentleness, teachableness, and mercy shown in all our actions, and the fruits of righteousness abounding in our lives, prove that God has bestowed upon us this excellent gift.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

James 3:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ΤίςTisWhoG5101

σοφὸςsophos[is] wiseG4680

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐπιστήμωνepistēmōnunderstandingG1990

ἐνenamongG1722

ὑμῖν;huminyou?G4771

δειξάτωdeixatōhe should showG1166

ἐκekout ofG1537

τῆςtēstheG3588

καλῆςkalēsgoodG2570

ἀναστροφῆςanastrophēsconductG391

τὰtatheG3588

ἔργαergaworksG2041

αὐτοῦautouof himG846

ἐνeninG1722

πραΰτητιprautēti[the] humilityG4236

σοφίας.sophiasof wisdom.G4678

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for James 3:13

Galatians 5:23
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
James 3:17
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.
Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Colossians 3:12
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
1 Peter 2:12
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Philippians 1:27
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Titus 3:2
To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
2 Timothy 2:25
In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
1 Peter 3:15-16
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
Ecclesiastes 8:1
Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.
1 Timothy 6:11
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
James 2:18
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

is a.
1; Ps 107:43; Ec 8:1,5; Jer 9:12,23; Mt 7:24; 1Co 6:5; Ga 6:4
endued.
2Ch 2:12,13; Job 28:28; Isa 11:3; Da 2:21
let.
2:18; Isa 60:6; 2Co 8:24; 1Pe 2:9
a good.
Php 1:27; 1Ti 4:12; Heb 13:5; 1Pe 2:12; 3:1,2,16
with meekness.
17; 1:21; Nu 12:3; Ps 25:9; 45:4; 149:4; Isa 11:4; 29:19; 61:1; Zep 2:3
Mt 5:5; 11:29; 21:5; 2Co 10:1; Ga 5:23; 6:1; Eph 4:2; Col 3:12
1Ti 6:11; 2Ti 2:25; Tit 3:2; 1Pe 3:4,15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

James 3:12
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
James 3:13
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.
James 3:14
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Read all of James 3

James 3:13 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¿Quién es sabio y avisado entre vosotros? muestre por buena conversación sus obras en mansedumbre de sabiduría.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Qui est sage et intelligent parmi vous? Que par une bonne conduite il montre ses œuvres avec la douceur de la sagesse.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wer ist weise und verständig unter euch? Er zeige aus dem guten Wandel seine Werke in Sanftmut der Weisheit.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quis sapiens et disciplinatus inter vos? Ostendat ex bona conversatione operationem suam in mansuetudine sapientiæ.