SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:16
Porque donde hay envidia y contencin, allí hay perturbacin, y toda obra perversa.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - James 3:16
Verse 16. For where envying and strife is] zhlov kai eriqeia? Zeal - fiery, inflammatory passion, and contention - altercations about the different points of the law, of no use for edification, such as those mentioned, Tit. iii. 9. The Jews were the most intolerant of all mankind; it was a maxim with them to kill those who would not conform to their law; and their salvation they believed to be impossible. This has been the spirit of Popery, and of the Romish Church at large; in vain do they attempt to deny it; they have written it in characters of blood and fire even in this country, (England,) when they were possessed of political power. With them it is still an established maxim, that out of their Church there is no redemption; and fire and faggot have been in that Church legal means of conversion or extinction. In the short popish reign of Mary in this country, besides multitudes who suffered by fine, imprisonment, confiscation, &c., two hundred and seventy-seven were burnt alive, among whom were one archbishop, four bishops, twenty-one clergymen, eight lay gentlemen, eighty-four tradesmen, one hundred husbandmen, fifty-five women, and four children! O earth! thou hast not drunk their blood; but their ashes have been strewed on the face of the field.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. For where envying and strife is , etc.] Where these are cherished in the heart, and especially where they break out into action, in families, neighbourhoods, states, or churches: there is confusion and every evil work ; these occasion disturbances, raise uneasiness, make disquietude, and cause tumults whenever they appear; and put persons upon doing everything that is wicked, to gratify such insatiable lusts.
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
οπου 3699 γαρ 1063 ζηλος 2205 και 2532 εριθεια 2052 εκει 1563 ακαταστασια 181 και 2532 παν 3956 φαυλον 5337 πραγμα 4229
Vincent's NT Word Studies
16. Confusion (akatastasia). See on restless, ver. 8.
Evil (faulon). An inadequate rendering, because it fails to bring out the particular phase of evil which is dominant in the word: worthlessness, good-for-nothingness. In classical Greek it has the meanings slight, trivial, paltry, which run into bad. In the New Testament it appears in this latest stage, and is set over against good. See John iii. 20; v. 29; Tit. ii. 8. Rev., vile, which, according to its etymology, Lat., vilis, follows the same process of development from cheap, or paltry, to bad.
