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Wednesday, July 16th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Contemporary English Version

James 3:18

When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Meekness;   Peace;   Righteousness;   Works;   The Topic Concordance - Peace;   Righteousness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Peace;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Wisdom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Fool, Foolishness, Folly;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Fruit;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James, the General Epistle of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fruit;   James, the Letter;   Peace, Spiritual;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Beatitudes;   Hosea;   James, Epistle of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - James ;   Peace;   Righteousness;   Sin (2);   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Fruit;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - James, Epistle of;   Peacemaker;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for May 12;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.
King James Version (1611)
And the fruit of righteousnesse is sowen in peace, of them that make peace.
King James Version
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
English Standard Version
And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
New American Standard Bible
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
New Century Version
People who work for peace in a peaceful way plant a good crop of right-living.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Berean Standard Bible
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.
Complete Jewish Bible
And peacemakers who sow seed in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Darby Translation
But [the] fruit of righteousness in peace is sown for them that make peace.
Easy-to-Read Version
People who work for peace in a peaceful way get the blessings that come from right living.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the fruite of righteousnesse is sowen in peace, of them that make peace.
George Lamsa Translation
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by the peacemakers.
Good News Translation
And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.
Lexham English Bible
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace among those who make peace.
Literal Translation
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for the ones making peace.
Amplified Bible
And the seed whose fruit is righteousness (spiritual maturity) is sown in peace by those who make peace [by actively encouraging goodwill between individuals].
American Standard Version
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.
Bible in Basic English
And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace for those who make peace.
Hebrew Names Version
Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in shalom by those who make shalom.
International Standard Version
And a harvest of righteousness is grown from the seed of peaceis grown in peace">[fn] planted by peacemakers.Proverbs 11:18; Hosea 10:12; Matthew 5:9; Philippians 1:11; Hebrews 12:11;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But the fruits of righteousness in quietness are sown by them who make peace.
Murdock Translation
And the fruits of righteousness are sown in stillness, by them who make peace.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Yea, and the fruite of ryghteousnes is sowen in peace, of the that make peace.
English Revised Version
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.
World English Bible
Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
without partiality and without dissimulation, And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.
Weymouth's New Testament
And peace, for those who strive for peace, is the seed of which the harvest is righteousness.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the fruyt of riytwisnesse is sowun in pees, to men that maken pees.
Update Bible Version
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those that make peace.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them that make peace.
New English Translation
And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.
New King James Version
Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
New Living Translation
And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
New Life Bible
Those who plant seeds of peace will gather what is right and good.
New Revised Standard
And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, in harvest of righteousness, with peace, is sown by them that make peace.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the fruit of justice is sown in peace, to them that make peace.
Revised Standard Version
And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
yee and the frute of rightewesnes is sowen in peace of them that mayntene peace.
Young's Literal Translation
and the fruit of the righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
yee, and the frute of rightewesnes is sowen in peace, of the that mayntene peace.
Mace New Testament (1729)
they who cultivate peace, enjoy the reward of their virtue.
Simplified Cowboy Version
These peacemakers will plant seeds of goodness and get a bumper crop of right living.

Contextual Overview

13 Are any of you wise or sensible? Then show it by living right and by being humble and wise in everything you do. 14 But if your heart is full of bitter jealousy and selfishness, don't brag or lie to cover up the truth. 15 That kind of wisdom doesn't come from above. It is earthly and selfish and comes from the devil himself. 16 Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. 17 But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. 18 When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the fruit: James 1:20, Proverbs 11:18, Proverbs 11:28, Proverbs 11:30, Isaiah 32:16, Isaiah 32:17, Hosea 10:12, Matthew 5:9, John 4:36, Philippians 1:11, Hebrews 12:11

make: Matthew 5:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:8 - Let 1 Kings 6:7 - neither hammer Ezra 7:25 - the wisdom Psalms 18:35 - gentleness Psalms 34:14 - seek Psalms 119:73 - that I may Psalms 122:7 - Peace Proverbs 6:19 - that soweth Proverbs 14:29 - slow Proverbs 17:27 - an excellent spirit Ecclesiastes 9:17 - General Isaiah 11:2 - the spirit of wisdom Isaiah 32:20 - Blessed Zechariah 8:12 - prosperous Matthew 7:17 - every Mark 4:26 - as Luke 10:6 - the Son John 15:16 - bring Acts 6:3 - full Romans 1:14 - both to 1 Corinthians 7:15 - but 1 Corinthians 14:33 - but 2 Corinthians 13:11 - live Galatians 5:22 - love Galatians 6:8 - soweth to his Ephesians 1:17 - the spirit Ephesians 4:3 - General Philippians 1:27 - in one Philippians 4:2 - that Colossians 3:12 - mercies 1 Thessalonians 5:13 - and be Hebrews 12:14 - Follow 1 Peter 3:11 - seek

Cross-References

Genesis 3:14
So the Lord God said to the snake: "Because of what you have done, you will be the only animal to suffer this curse— For as long as you live, you will crawl on your stomach and eat dirt.
Genesis 3:15
You and this woman will hate each other; your descendants and hers will always be enemies. One of hers will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel."
Job 1:21
and said: "We bring nothing at birth; we take nothing with us at death. The Lord alone gives and takes. Praise the name of the Lord !"
Job 5:5
Then hungry and greedy people gobble down their crops and grab up their wealth.
Job 31:40
If I had, I would pray for weeds instead of wheat to grow in my fields. After saying these things, Job was silent.
Psalms 90:3
At your command we die and turn back to dust,
Psalms 104:2
and surrounded by light. You spread out the sky like a tent,
Proverbs 22:5
Crooks walk down a road full of thorny traps. Stay away from there!
Proverbs 24:31
Thorns and weeds were everywhere, and the stone wall had fallen down.
Isaiah 5:6
It will turn into a desert, neither pruned nor hoed; it will be covered with thorns and briars. I will command the clouds not to send rain.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the fruit of righteousness,.... Which is either eternal life, which is the fruit of Christ's righteousness, and shall be enjoyed by all those who are justified by it; and who, in consequence of it, through the grace of God, live soberly, righteously, and godly; see Romans 6:22 or else what is enjoyed in this life, as the fruit and effect of a righteous and holy conversation, which is peace of conscience; and may be truly called the peaceable fruit of righteousness; see Isaiah 32:17

is sown in peace of them that make peace; that is, either such as are possessed of that wisdom which is peaceable, and makes them so; that peace which they make, pursue after, exercise, and maintain, is a seed, which, being sown by them, will, in the issue, be followed with eternal happiness and felicity; see Matthew 5:9 or such who live a godly life and conversation, and are filled with the fruits of righteousness, and, among the rest, with this of making and preserving peace among men, shall enjoy, as what will spring up from such good seed sown, much conscience peace and spiritual pleasure of mind: righteousness and peace promise a large and comfortable harvest both here and hereafter.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And the fruit of righteousness - That which the righteousness here referred to produces, or that which is the effect of true religion. The meaning is, that righteousness or true religion produces certain results on the life like the effects of seed sown in good ground. Righteousness or true religion as certainly produces such effects, as seed that is sown produces a harvest.

Is sown in peace - Is scattered over the world in a peaceful manner. That is, it is not done amidst contentions, and brawls, and strifes. The farmer sows his seed in peace. The fields are not sown amidst the tumults of a mob, or the excitements of a battle or a camp. Nothing is more calm, peaceful, quiet, and composed, than the farmer, as he walks with measured tread over his fields, scattering his seed. So it is in sowing the “seed of the kingdom,” in preparing for the great harvest of righteousness in the world. It is done by men of peace; it is done in peaceful scenes, and with a peaceful spirit; it is not in the tumult of war, or amidst the hoarse brawling of a mob. In a pure and holy life; in the peaceful scenes of the sanctuary and the Sabbath; by noiseless and unobtrusive laborers, the seed is scattered over the world, and the result is seen in an abundant harvest in producing peace and order.

Of them that make peace - By those who desire to produce peace, or who are of a peaceful temper and disposition. They are engaged everywhere in scattering these blessed seeds of peace, contentment, and order; and the result shall be a glorious harvest for themselves and for mankind - a harvest rich and abundant on earth and in heaven. The whole effect, therefore, of religion, is to produce peace. It is all peace - peace in its origin and in its results; in the heart of the individual, and in society; on earth, and in heaven. The idea with which the apostle commenced this chapter seems to have been that such persons only should be admitted to the office of public teachers. From that, the mind naturally turned to the effect of religion in general; and he states that in the ministry and out of it; in the heart of the individual and on society at large; here and hereafter, the effect of religion is to produce peace. Its nature is peaceful as it exists in the heart, and as it is developed in the world: and wherever and however it is manifested, it is like seed sown, not amid the storms of war and the contentions of battle, but in the fields of quiet husbandry, producing in rich abundance a harvest of peace. In its origin, and in all its results, it is productive only of contentment, sincerity, goodness, and peace. Happy he who has this religion in his heart; happy he who with liberal hand scatters its blessings broadcast over the world!

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse James 3:18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown — The whole is the principle of righteousness in the soul, and all the above virtues are the fruits of that righteousness.

Is sown in peace — When the peace of God rules the heart, all these virtues and graces grow and flourish abundantly.

Of them that make peace. — The peace-makers are continually recommending this wisdom to others, and their own conduct is represented as a sowing of heavenly seed, which brings forth Divine fruit. Perhaps sowing in peace signifies sowing prosperously-being very successful. This is not only the proper disposition for every teacher of the Gospel, but for every professed follower of the Lord Jesus.

Some render this verse, which is confessedly obscure, thus: And the peaceable fruits of righteousness are sown for the practisers of peace. He who labours to live peaceably shall have peace for his reward.

1. ALMOST the whole of the preceding chapter is founded on maxims highly accredited in the rabbinical writings, and without a reference to those writings it would have been impossible, in some cases, to have understood St. James' meaning. There is one phrase, the rabbinical meaning and use of which I have reserved for this place, viz.. The wisdom that is from above. This is greatly celebrated among them by the terms חכמה עליונה chocmah elyonah, the supernal wisdom. This they seem to understand to be a peculiar inspiration of the Almighty, or a teaching communicated immediately by the angels of God. In Sohar, Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 19, Rabbi Chiya said: "The wisdom from above was in Adam more than in the supreme angels, and he knew all things."

In Sohar Chadash, fol. 35, it is said concerning Enoch, "That the angels were sent from heaven, and taught him the wisdom that is from above." Ibid. fol. 42, 4: "Solomon came, and he was perfect in all things, and strongly set forth the praises of the wisdom that is from above." See more in Schoettgen. St. James gives us the properties of this wisdom, which are not to be found in such detail in any of the rabbinical writers. It is another word for the life of God in the soul of man, or true religion; it is the teaching of God in the human heart, and he who has this not is not a child of God; for it is written, All thy children shall be taught of the Lord.

2. To enjoy the peace of God in the conscience, and to live to promote peace among men, is to answer the end of our creation, and to enjoy as much happiness ourselves as the present state of things can afford. They who are in continual broils live a wretched life; and they who love the life of the salamander must share no small portion of the demoniacal nature. In domestic society such persons are an evil disease; therefore a canker in the Church, and a pest in the state.


 
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