SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:14
Pero si tenis envidia amarga, y contencin en vuestros corazones, no os gloriis, ni seis mentirosos contra la verdad.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - James 3:14
Verse 14. If ye have bitter envying and strife] If ye be under the influence of an unkind, fierce, and contemptuous spirit, even while attempting or pretending to defend true religion, do not boast either of your exertions or success in silencing an adversary; ye have no religion, and no true wisdom, and to profess either is to lie against the truth. Let all writers on what is called polemic (fighting, warring) divinity lay this to heart. The pious Mr. Herbert gives excellent advice on this subject:-" Be calm in arguing, for fierceness makes Error a fault, and truth discourtesy; Why should I feel another man's mistakes More than his sickness or his poverty? In love I should; but anger is not love, Nor wisdom neither; therefore g-e-n-t-l-y m-o-v-e."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts , etc.] Though these may not be expressed by words, or actions: envy at the happiness of others, whether at the external blessings of Providence, as riches and honours, or at the internal endowments of their minds, as their wisdom and knowledge, their parts and abilities, is a root of bitterness in the heart, which bears wormwood and gall, and produces bitter effects in the persons in whom it is; it embitters their minds against their neighbours and friends; it is rottenness in their bones, and slays and destroys those who are so silly as to be governed by it; and also in the persons the objects of it; for who can stand before it? and strife in the mind, or an intention to strive end quarrel with others, who are the objects of envy, is very sinful, and of pernicious consequence: and if these be fomented and cherished in the minds and breasts of men, though they may not outwardly show themselves, yet glory not ; let not such boast of their being Gnostics, wise men, and endued with knowledge; they are far from deserving such a character; and such boasting is contrary to truth, yea, is lying against it, as follows: and lie not against the truth ; for, for a man to assert himself to be a wise and knowing man, and yet cherishes bitterness in his heart, and quarrelling and contention in his mind, arising from envy, at the equal or superior knowledge of others, he lies both against the truth of God's word and his own conscience, which condemn such things as ignorance, folly, and madness.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 ac 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; an are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such wisdo comes not down from above, but springs up from earthly principles, act on earthly motives, and is intent on serving earthly purposes. Thos who are lifted up with such wisdom, described by the apostle James, i near to the Christian love, described by the apostle Paul; and both ar 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 an guileful; but it is sincere, and open, and steady, and uniform, an 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 upo us this excellent gift __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ει 1487 δε 1161 ζηλον 2205 πικρον 4089 εχετε 2192 5719 και 2532 εριθειαν 2052 εν 1722 τη 3588 καρδια 2588 υμων 5216 μη 3361 κατακαυχασθε 2620 5737 και 2532 ψευδεσθε 5574 5732 κατα 2596 της 3588 αληθειας 225
Vincent's NT Word Studies
14. Envying (zhlon). The word is used in the New Testament both in a bad and a good sense. For the latter, see John ii. 17; Rom. x. 2; 2 Corinthians ix. 2. From it is our word zeal, which may be either good or bad, wise or foolish. The bad sense is predominant in the New Testament. See Acts v. 17; Rom. xiii. 13; Gal. v. 20, and here, where the bad sense is defined and emphasized by the epithet bitter. It is often joined with eriv, strife, as here with ejriqeia, intriguing or faction. The rendering envying, as A.V., more properly belongs to fqonov, which is never used in a good sense. Emulation is the better general rendering, which does not necessarily include envy, but may be full of the spirit of self-devotion. Rev. renders jealousy.
Strife (eriqeian). A wrong rendering, founded on the mistaken derivation from eriv, strife. It is derived from eriqov, a hired servant, and means, primarily, labor for hire. Compare Tobit ii. 11: My wife did take women's work to do (hriqeueto). Thus it comes to be applied to those who serve in official positions for their own selfish interest, and who, to that end, promote party spirit and faction. So Rom. ii. 8: them that are contentious (ex eriqeiav), lit., of faction. Rev., factious. Also, 2 Corinthians xii. 20. Rev., here, rightly, faction.
