Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Parallel Translations
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Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
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yee and the frute of rightewesnes is sowen in peace of them that mayntene peace.
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And the fruite of righteousnesse is sowen in peace, of them that make peace.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to James 3:18 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
- Hosea 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness. Break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek Yahweh, until he comes and rains righteousness on you.
- Philippians 1:11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
- Isaiah 32:16-17 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness will remain in the fruitful field. The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.
- Galatians 6:8 For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
- Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. He who is wise wins souls.
- Proverbs 11:18 Wicked people earn deceitful wages, but one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
- John 4:36 He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit to eternal life; that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
- Hebrews 12:11 All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
- James 1:20 for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.
- Proverbs 11:28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.
- Amos 6:12 Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness;
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (17 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 18 And the fruit of righteousness. This admits of…
18 And the fruit of righteousness. This admits of two meanings, — that fruit is sown by the peaceable, which afterwards they gather, — or, that they themselves, though they meekly tolerate many things in their neighbors, do not yet cease to sow righteousness. It is, however, an anticipation of an objection; for they who are carried away to evil speaking by the lust of slandering, have always this excuse, “What! can we then remove evil by our courteousness?” Hence James says, that those who are wise according to God’s will, are so kind, meek, and merciful, as yet not to cover vices nor favor them; but on the contrary in such a way as to strive to correct them, and yet in a peaceable manner, that is, in moderation, so that union is preserved. And thus he testifies that what he had hitherto said tends in no degree to do away with calm reproofs; but that those who wish to be physicians to heal vices ought not to be executioners.
He therefore adds, by those who make peace; which ought to be thus explained: they who study peace, are nevertheless careful to sow righteousness; nor are they slothful or negligent in promoting and encouraging good works; but they moderate their zeal with the condiment of peace, while hypocrites throw all things into confusion by a blind and furious violence.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Because the world persuadeth itself that they are miserable…
Because the world persuadeth itself that they are miserable which live peaceably and simply, on the contrary side the Apostle pronounceth that they shall at the length reap the harvest of peaceable righteousness.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in…
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Ver. 18. Is sown in peace] Only we must not think to sow and reap all in a day. By the fruit of righteousness may be meant the crown of righteousness, 2Ti 4:8, which Christ (the Prince of peace) shall put upon all the sons of peace, Luk 10:6; as, in the mean time, they shall be called the sons of God, Mat 5:9, have not only the comfort, but the credit, the name and note of such.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain And the fruit of righteousness; either the fruit we…
And the fruit of righteousness; either the fruit we bring forth, which is righteousness itself, Luk 3:8,9; Ro 6:22; Phi 1:11; or the fruit we reap, which is the reward of righteousness, viz. eternal life.
Righteousness; metonymically here put for the heavenly wisdom before described, whereof it is the inseparable companion, or the effect, Job 28:28.
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Is sown; either righteousness, as the good fruit, is wrought or exercised, Hos 10:12, (as wickedness is said to be sown when it is acted, Job 4:8), or it relates to the reward, which is the fruit, of which righteousness is the seed, Psa 97:11; and then it implies, either the sureness of that reward, that it is as certain as harvest after seed-time: or the non-enjoyment of it for the present, as they that sow their seed receive not the crop till long after.
In peace; either in a mild, peaceable, amicable way; or in peace is as much as with peace, viz. spiritual peace and comfort of conscience.
Of them that make peace; that follow after and are studious of peace; and so the words may have a two-fold sense: either the meaning is:
1. That they that exercise righteousnes must do it in a sweet and peaceable way: in particular, men may reprehend others, so they do it with moderation and gentleness, not as executioners, to torment them, but as physicians, to heal them; as, on the other side, they that are most peaceably disposed, yet must not make peace without sowing righteousness with it, which includes just reprehension, whereby righteousness is promoted. Or:
2. That they who sow righteousness in peace, i.e. join righteousness with their endeavours after peace, shall reap the reward, not only in comfort here, but in glory hereafter.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Our apostle here concludes his discourse, by shewing the…
Our apostle here concludes his discourse, by shewing the happiness of those who are possessed of that wisdom from above, which is pure and peaceable, &c. They sow a seed which will yield them present fruit, and bring sheaves of joy and comfort into their bosoms, and also entitle them to an everlasting reward in that kingdom wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Learn hence, 1. That all the actions of this life are as seed sown for the life to come; and every one’s harvest hereafter will be according to his seed-time here; our rewards shall be according to our works.
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Learn, 2. That the rewards of righteousness and peaceableness are reaped and received here initially, and shall be ere long enjoyed perfectly: The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that love peace.
Learn, 3. That true lovers of righteousness ought to be lovers of peace, and peaceable persons lovers of righteousness; mercy and truth must meet together, righteousness and peace must kiss each other. Peace without righteousness is but a sordid compliance; righteousness without peace is but a rough austerity; our duty is to couple a sweet goodness with a severe righteousness.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And the fruit of righteousness,.... Which is either eternal…
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 Rom 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 Isa 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 Mat 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.
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Next: James Chapter 4
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain And the principle productive of this righteousness is sown,…
And the principle productive of this righteousness is sown, like good seed, in the peace of a believer's mind, and brings forth a plentiful harvest of happiness, (which is the proper fruit of righteousness,) for them that make peace - That labour to promote this pure and holy peace among all men.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown]…
Verse 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.
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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.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Jas 3:18. And the fruit of righteousness, &c. —…
Jas 3:18. And the fruit of righteousness, &c. — The principle productive of this righteousness, is sown, like good seed, in the peace of a believer’s mind, and brings forth a plentiful harvest of happiness, (which is the proper fruit of righteousness,) for them that make peace — That labour to promote this pure and holy peace among all men. Or, the meaning may be, they that endeavour to make peace among men, (which is a fruit or work of righteousness,) do thereby sow to themselves in peace; that is, they take that course which will produce to them happiness in the end.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain And the fruit of righteousness - That which the…
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.
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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!
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain "The peaceable fruit of righteousness." He says "righteousness"; because…
"The peaceable fruit of righteousness." He says "righteousness"; because it is itself the true wisdom. As in the case of the earthly wisdom, after the characteristic description came its results; so in this verse, in the case of the heavenly wisdom. There the results were present; here, future.
fruit . . . sown--Compare Psa 97:11; Isa 61:3, "trees of righteousness." Anticipatory, that is, the seed whose "fruit," namely, "righteousness," shall be ultimately reaped, is now "sown in peace." "Righteousness," now in germ, when fully developed as "fruit" shall be itself the everlasting reward of the righteous. As "sowing in peace" (compare "sown in dishonor," Co1 15:43) produces the "fruit of righteousness," so conversely "the work" and "effect of righteousness" is "peace."
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of them that make peace--"by (implying also that it is for them, and to their good) them that work peace." They, and they alone, are "blessed." "Peacemakers," not merely they who reconcile others, but who work peace. "Cultivate peace" [ESTIUS]. Those truly wise towards God, while peaceable and tolerant towards their neighbors, yet make it their chief concern to sow righteousness, not cloaking men's sins, but reproving them with such peaceable moderation as to be the physicians, rather than the executioners, of sinners [CALVIN].
Next: James Chapter 4
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 18. Fruit… is sown—By fruit is meant the harvest,…
18. Fruit… is sown—By fruit is meant the harvest, crop, or product; and this is virtually sown in the seed that produces it. Fruit, consisting in righteousness, not fruit produced by righteousness. And this fruit, namely, righteousness, springs from a seed-sowing in the soil of peace by them that make or enact peace. The man of holy peace sows that seed in peace which brings forth righteousness. Thus in holy eloquence does St. James appeal to his fellows of the twelve tribes, both Christians and those who should be Christians, among whom strifes of tongue arising from bitterness of heart were producing sin and ruin, to seek for righteousness in the paths of holy quietude and peace. In an angry age his warnings were slighted, and the ruin resulted in the destruction of their capital and the overthrow of their State.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in…
18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace …] It is commonly said that “the fruit of righteousness” means “the fruit which is righteousness.” The analogy of a like structure, however, in Luk_3:8 (“worthy fruits of repentance”), Eph_5:9 (“the fruit of the Spirit”), and other passages, is in favour of taking it as the fruit which righteousness produces. Every good deed is a fruit produced by the good seed sown in the good soil, and not choked by thorns. And every such deed is, in its turn, as the seed of a future fruit like in kind. It is “sown in peace” (we must remember all the fulness of meaning which the Hebrew mind attached to peace as the highest form of blessedness) either “by” or “for” (the former is, perhaps, meant, but the phrase may have been used to include both) those that make peace. We cannot fail to connect these words with the beatitude on the peace-makers in the Sermon on the Mount (Mat_5:9). We can as little fail to note the resemblance between this portraiture of the true wisdom and the picture which St Paul draws in 1 Corinthians 13 of the excellence of Charity or Love. Differing, as the two teachers did, in many ways, in their modes of thought and language, one fastening on the more practical, the other on the more spiritual, aspects of the Truth, there was an essential agreement in their standard of the highest form of the Christian character. A comparison of the two helps us to understand how the one teacher held out the right hand of fellowship to the other (Gal_2:9), and to hope for a like accord now among men who seem to differ in their conception of Christian Truth, if only they agree in their ultimate aim and standard, and feel, in the depth of their being, that Love is Wisdom, and that Wisdom is Love.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (18) And the fruit of righteousness . . .—Better…
(18) And the fruit of righteousness . . .—Better thus slightly altered: And fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by them that make peace. They “shall be called the children of God” (Mat_5:9). Their fruit is hidden in the precious seed, but “the times of refreshing shall come,” and the glorious plant bring forth her flower, and bear the golden fruit for the blessed ones to eat in the fadeless paradise of God. As “whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap” (Gal_6:7)—here is a harvest laid up for the righteous to enjoy for ever; and (comp. Heb_12:11) God’s chastening of the truly penitent yields with it a like promise afterwards of “the peaceable fruit of righteousness”—so, in the tender mercy of our Saviour, “they that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psa_126:6). Thus, in some words which well might mark the close of one whose “quiet spirit slowly passeth by to some more perfect peace”—
“Peace comes at length, though life be full of pain;
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Calm in the faith of Christ 1 lay me down;
Pain for His sake is peace, and loss is gain:
For all who bear the cross shall wear the crown.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 18. The fruit of righteousness. This wisdom not only…
18. The fruit of righteousness. This wisdom not only bears righteousness as a fruit but sows this fruit as seed to produce peace. Them that make peace. These sowers are peacemakers. See Matt. 5:9. Sowing righteousness makes peace, because wrong is the fruitful mother of strife.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain (See Scofield "1Jn 3:7").
righteousness
(See Scofield "1Jn 3:7").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 3:18 James uses an agricultural image to emphasize the…
3:18 James uses an agricultural image to emphasize the benefits of living by the wisdom from above: Those who plant seeds of peace in relationships will enjoy a luxuriant harvest of righteousness in those relationships (cp. Matt 5:9).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.