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Simplified Cowboy Version

James 3:15

This ain't wisdom. It's nothin' but evil and worldly . . . even demonic.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Righteousness;   Strife;   Thompson Chain Reference - Wisdom, Worldly;   Wisdom-Folly;   Worldly;   The Topic Concordance - Confusion;   Envy;   Evil;   Strife;   Wisdom;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Earth;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Demons;   Jealousy;   Wisdom;   World;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Fool, Foolishness, Folly;   Hypocrisy;   World;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James, the General Epistle of;   Spirit;   Holman Bible Dictionary - James, the Letter;   Natural;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hosea;   James, Epistle of;   Soul;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Above and below;   Demon;   Earth Earthen Earthy Earthly;   Holy Spirit;   James Epistle of;   Sin;   Sin (2);   Soul;   Soul ;   Winter ;   Worldliness;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Sensual;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Fall;   Wisdom;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Earthly;   James, Epistle of;   Sensual;   Wisdom;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for May 12;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
King James Version (1611)
This wisedome descendeth not from aboue, but is earthly, sensuall, deuilish.
King James Version
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
English Standard Version
This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
New American Standard Bible
This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
New Century Version
That kind of "wisdom" does not come from God but from the world. It is not spiritual; it is from the devil.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
Berean Standard Bible
Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Contemporary English Version
That kind of wisdom doesn't come from above. It is earthly and selfish and comes from the devil himself.
Complete Jewish Bible
This wisdom is not the kind that comes down from above; on the contrary, it is worldly, unspiritual, demonic.
Darby Translation
This is not the wisdom which comes down from above, but earthly, natural, devilish.
Easy-to-Read Version
That kind of "wisdom" does not come from God. That "wisdom" comes from the world. It is not spiritual. It is from the devil.
Geneva Bible (1587)
This wisedome descendeth not from aboue, but is earthly, sensuall, and deuilish.
George Lamsa Translation
This wisdom does not come from above, but it is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Good News Translation
Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic.
Lexham English Bible
This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Literal Translation
This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but is earthly, beastly, devilish.
Amplified Bible
This [superficial] wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly (secular), natural (unspiritual), even demonic.
American Standard Version
This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Bible in Basic English
This wisdom is not from heaven, but is of the earth and the flesh and the Evil One.
Hebrew Names Version
This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.
International Standard Version
That kind of wisdom does not come from above. No, it is worldly, self-centered, and demonic.Philippians 3:19; James 1:17;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
because this wisdom from above descendeth not; but is earthly, from the reasonings of the soul, and from demons.
Murdock Translation
For this wisdom cometh not down from above; but is earthly, and from the devices of the soul, and from demons.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For such wisdome descendeth not fro aboue: but is earthlie, sensuall, and deuelishe.
English Revised Version
This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down 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.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, animal, devilish.
Weymouth's New Testament
That is not the wisdom which comes down from above: it belongs to earth, to the unspiritual nature, and to evil spirits.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For this wisdom is not fro aboue comynge doun, but ertheli, and beestli, and feendli.
Update Bible Version
This wisdom is not [a wisdom] that comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Webster's Bible Translation
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, demoniacal.
New English Translation
Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, natural, demonic.
New King James Version
This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
New Living Translation
For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
New Life Bible
This is not the kind of wisdom that comes from God. But this wisdom comes from the world and from that which is not Christian and from the devil.
New Revised Standard
Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
This wisdom is not one, from above, coming down, but is earthly, born of the soul, demoniacal!
Douay-Rheims Bible
For this is not wisdom, descending from above: but earthly, sensual, devilish.
Revised Standard Version
This wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
This wisdome descedeth not from a boue: but is erthy and naturall and divelisshe.
Young's Literal Translation
this wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This wissdome descendeth not from aboue: but is erthy, and naturall, and dyuelishe.
Mace New Testament (1729)
such wisdom is not derived from heaven; but is terrestrial, sensual, demoniacal.

Contextual Overview

13Who among you cowboys rides with wisdom and understanding? Good manners and honest ways, with a gentle countenance, mark the ride of a wise cowboy. 14But if your way is riddled with bitter jealousy and always lookin' out only for yourself, don't go around braggin' and lyin' about who you really are. 15This ain't wisdom. It's nothin' but evil and worldly . . . even demonic. 16Where there's a cowboy ridin' in selfishness and jealousy, there's a cougar in the calvin' pen. 17You'll know cowboys who are ridin' with wisdom because they'll leave a trail of peace, mercy, justice, gentleness, good deeds, hospitality, and no ounce of hypocrisy. 18These peacemakers will plant seeds of goodness and get a bumper crop of right living.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wisdom: James 3:17, James 1:5, James 1:17, John 3:17, 1 Corinthians 3:3, Philippians 3:19

but: 2 Samuel 13:3, 2 Samuel 15:31, 2 Samuel 16:23, Jeremiah 4:22, Luke 16:8, Romans 1:22, 1 Corinthians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 1:20, 1 Corinthians 1:27, 1 Corinthians 2:6, 1 Corinthians 2:7, 1 Corinthians 3:19, 2 Corinthians 1:12, Jude 1:19

sensual: or, natural, 1 Corinthians 2:14

devilish: Genesis 3:1-5, John 8:44, Acts 13:10, 2 Corinthians 11:3, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, 1 John 3:8-10, Jude 1:19, Revelation 9:11, Revelation 12:9

Reciprocal: Exodus 1:10 - wisely Numbers 11:29 - Enviest Proverbs 2:7 - layeth Daniel 2:21 - he giveth Matthew 13:27 - whence Mark 8:33 - savourest Luke 12:18 - General Luke 16:4 - General John 8:23 - Ye are from Galatians 5:19 - Adultery Ephesians 4:2 - lowliness Ephesians 4:31 - bitterness 2 Timothy 2:7 - and 1 John 2:16 - is not Revelation 16:14 - the spirits

Cross-References

Matthew 1:23
"A gal that's never been with a man will have her a child and call him Emmanuel"—which is a fancy way of sayin', "God's with us."
Matthew 1:25
But he didn't never go to her bed like a husband would usually do until after Jesus was born.
Matthew 3:7
When John saw the real religious folks ride over the hill followed by a bunch of no-account politicians, he hollered at them, "You den of rattlesnakes! Who told you to ride as fast as you could from the comin' anger?
Matthew 12:34
Y'all know-it-alls are a den of snakes! How can a snake tell someone what is good? Whatever is in your heart will spill up and out of your mouth.
Matthew 13:38
The pasture where the cattle lived is like this old world we're living in right now. The pure-bred calves are like the cowboys who live for the Boss. The cull calves are people who follow the Counterfeit.
Matthew 23:33
You're all coyotes! You're the bastard sons of coyotes! How are you gonna escape the truck that leads to the slaughterhouse?
Mark 16:18
They will pick up snakes without being bitten and even have poison given to them without it killing 'em. They will place their hands on people and heal them."
Luke 1:76
And listen, my little child, you will be called a prophet of the Boss. You will blaze a trail for the Top Hand.
Luke 10:19
But listen close, I have given you authority over all the powers of darkness. You can even trample over snakes and scorpions without injury.
Luke 22:53
I taught right beside you in the church courtyard, and you did nothing. I know why, though. This is your time and place because your hearts are as dark as night."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

This wisdom descendeth not from above,.... If it must be called wisdom, as it ought not; an envious, quarrelsome, and contentious spirit, does not deserve such a name; yet if any will call it so, or can think that a man of such a disposition is a man possessed of wisdom; it is such wisdom as does not come from above, from heaven, from the Father of lights, from Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and from the spirit of wisdom and revelation: what the Jews say o of the wisdom of Egypt, may be said of this, that it is חכמה תתאה "wisdom from below", or inferior wisdom, as it follows:

but is earthly, sensual, and devilish; it is "earthly", or of the earth, and springs from thence; and it is only conversant about earthly things, and is only suitable to earthly minds: it is sensual, or natural; what a natural man, one destitute of the Spirit of God, and without the knowledge of the things of the Spirit, may have; it is what is acquired by the mere strength of nature, and only relates to natural things; and is only agreeable to corrupt nature, or to a natural and unregenerate man: yea, it is devilish, or such as the devil himself has; and which comes from him, and being used, serves only his kingdom and interest.

o Zohar in Gen. fol. 119. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This wisdom descendeth not from above - Compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 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. There is learning, shrewdness, tact, logical skill, subtle and skilful argumentation - “making the worse appear the better reason;” but all this is often connected with a spirit so narrow, bigoted, and contentious, as to show clearly that it has not its origin in heaven. The spirit which is originated there is always connected with gentleness, calmness, and a love of truth.

But is earthly - Has its origin in this world, and partakes of its spirit. It is such as men exhibit who are governed only by worldly maxims and principles.

Sensual - Margin, “natural.” The meaning is, that it has its origin in our sensual rather than in our intellectual and moral nature. It is that which takes counsel of our natural appetites and propensities, and not of high and spiritual influences.

devilish - Demoniacal (δαιμονιώδης daimoniōdēs). Such as the demons exhibit. See the notes at James 2:19. There may be indeed talent in it, but there is the intermingling of malignant passions, and it leads to contentions, strifes, divisions, and “every evil work.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 15. 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. "James 3:18"

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.


 
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