James 3:15
in James 3Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
KJV
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
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This verse in James 3
Commentary
14 notes on this verseFor being power-hungry and filled with the wisdom of the world, they preached with the force and zeal of orthodox teachers, gathering a crowd with no trouble at all and deceiving them, mixing human things with the divine, so that the hearers might be dazzled …
This site's exposition
if you harbor bitter jealousy
on James 3:14-16
If you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth. Such wisdom is earthly, unspiritual, demonic, drawn from the world, the natural man and the demons. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
This site's exposition
earthly, unspiritual, demonic
Matthew Henry reads unspiritual as psychike, the natural reason of the soul working without any light from above. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown tie demonic back to the hell that sets the tongue on fire in 3:6. True wisdom is asked of God, as 1:5 promised.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
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 …
The Medieval Church3 voices
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 …
The apostle says that such teachings are not characteristic of true teachers, because they flow not from Divine wisdom but from demonic wisdom.
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 9 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
That wisdom which is from below, blessed James describes, saying: "This is not wisdom descending from above, but is earthly, sensual, diabolical." This wisdom with all solicitude seeks to delight in every pleasure, in the abundance of worldly riches, in the experience of sensual delights, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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, psychike, it is animal of human--the mere working of natural reason, without any supernatural light.
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
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.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Is earthly - Not heavenly; not from the Father of Lights. Animal - Not spiritual; not from the Spirit of God. Devilish - Not the gift of Christ, but such as Satan breathes into the soul.
This wisdom descendeth not from above,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
This wisdom descendeth not from above - Compare the notes at 1Co 3:3. The wisdom here referred to is that carnal or worldly wisdom which produces strife and contention; that kind of knowledge which leads to self-conceit, and which prompts a man to defend his opinions with over-heated zeal. In the contentions which are in the world, in church and state, in neighborhoods and families, at the bar, in political life, and in theological disputes, even where there is the manifestation of enraged and irascible feeling, there is often much of a certain kind of wisdom.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Earthly is what is IN the earth; earthy, what is of the earth. sensual--literally, "animal-like": the wisdom of the "natural" (the same Greek) man, not born again of God; "not having the Spirit" (Jude 19). devilish--in its origin (from "hell," Jas 3:6; not from God, the Giver of true wisdom, Jas 1:5), and also in its character, which accords with its origin.
This wisdom descendeth not from above - God is not the author of it, because it is bitter - not meek. See at the end of this chapter. Is earthly - Having this life only in view. Sensual - Ψυχικη· Animal - having for its object the gratification of the passions and animal propensities. Devilish - Δαιμονιωδης· Demoniacal - inspired by demons, and maintained in the soul by their indwelling influence.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὐκ | ouk | Not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἔστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| αὕτη | haute | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σοφία | sophia | wisdom | G4678 → | 51 times |
| ἄνωθεν | anothen | from above | G509 → | 13 times |
| κατερχομένη, | katerchomene | coming down, | G2718 → | |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| ἐπίγειος | epigeios | [is] earthly | G1919 → | |
| ψυχικὴ | psuchike | unspiritual | G5591 → | |
| δαιμονιώδης. | daimoniodes | demonic. | G1141 → |
οὐκNot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἔστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
αὕτηthis
hauteG3778 →1381 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
σοφίαwisdom
sophiaG4678 →51 times
ἄνωθενfrom above
anothenG509 →13 times
κατερχομένη,coming down,
katerchomeneG2718 →
ἀλλ᾽but
all᾽G235 →635 times
ἐπίγειος[is] earthly
epigeiosG1919 →
ψυχικὴunspiritual
psuchikeG5591 →
δαιμονιώδης.demonic.
daimoniodesG1141 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 1:17Every 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.
it leads to
- John 3:27
John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
- Matthew 7:11
So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
- Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
- John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
- John 3:27
Through
James 3:17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
it leads to
- Galatians 5:22–23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
- Galatians 5:22–23
Through
1 Corinthians 2:14The 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.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About James
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, CATENA; Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 9; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on James and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on James.