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Scripture · New Testament

James 3:15

James 3:15 is verse 15 of James chapter 3, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

BSB source and public domain terms

King James Version

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

World English Bible

This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.

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James 3:13–17 · Berean Standard Bible

13 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.

14 But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.

15 Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

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Greek words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

James 3:17

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

James 1:5

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

John 3:17

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

1 Corinthians 3:3

for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?

Philippians 3:19

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.

2 Samuel 13:3

Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,

2 Samuel 15:31

Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

2 Samuel 16:23

Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.

Jeremiah 4:22

“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”

Luke 16:8

The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.

Romans 1:22

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools,

1 Corinthians 1:19

For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

1 Corinthians 1:20

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

1 Corinthians 1:27

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

1 Corinthians 2:6

Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.

1 Corinthians 2:7

No, we speak of the mysterious and hidden wisdom of God, which He destined for our glory before time began.

1 Corinthians 3:19

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

2 Corinthians 1:12

And this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.

Jude 1:19

These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:14

The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Genesis 3:1

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’”

Genesis 3:2

The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden,

Genesis 3:3

but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die.’”

Genesis 3:4

“You will not surely die,” the serpent told her.

Genesis 3:5

“For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

John 8:44

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Acts 13:10

and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

2 Corinthians 11:3

I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:13

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:14

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

2 Corinthians 11:15

It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.

1 John 3:8

The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.

1 John 3:9

Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

1 John 3:10

By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

Revelation 9:11

They were ruled by a king, the angel of the Abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek it is Apollyon.

Revelation 12:9

And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

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