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James 3

James 3:12 KJV (With Strong’s)

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12
Can
me (Greek #3361)
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether
KJV usage: any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations. See also 3362, 3363, 3364, 3372, 3373, 3375, 3378.
Pronounce: may
Origin: a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial)
dunamai (Greek #1410)
to be able or possible
KJV usage: be able, can (do, + -not), could, may, might, be possible, be of power.
Pronounce: doo'-nam-ahee
Origin: of uncertain affinity
the fig tree
suke (Greek #4808)
a fig-tree
KJV usage: fig tree.
Pronounce: soo-kay'
Origin: from 4810
r, my
mou (Greek #3450)
of me
KJV usage: I, me, mine (own), my.
Pronounce: moo
Origin: the simpler form of 1700
brethren
adephos (Greek #80)
a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like 1)
KJV usage: brother.
Pronounce: ad-el-fos'
Origin: from 1 (as a connective particle) and δελφύς (the womb)
, bear
poieo (Greek #4160)
to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
KJV usage: abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do(-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, X journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, X secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield. Compare 4238.
Pronounce: poy-eh'-o
Origin: apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary
olive berries
elaia (Greek #1636)
an olive (the tree or the fruit)
KJV usage: olive (berry, tree).
Pronounce: el-ah'-yah
Origin: feminine of a presumed derivative from an obsolete primary
? either
e (Greek #2228)
disjunctive, or; comparative, than
KJV usage: and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea. Often used in connection with other particles. Compare especially 2235, 2260, 2273.
Pronounce: ay
Origin: a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms
a vine
ampelos (Greek #288)
a vine (as coiling about a support)
KJV usage: vine.
Pronounce: am'-pel-os
Origin: probably from the base of 297 and that of 257
, figs
sukon (Greek #4810)
a fig
KJV usage: fig.
Pronounce: soo'-kon
Origin: apparently a primary word
? so
houto (Greek #3779)
in this way (referring to what precedes or follows)
KJV usage: after that, after (in) this manner, as, even (so), for all that, like(-wise), no more, on this fashion(-wise), so (in like manner), thus, what.
Pronounce: hoo'-to
Origin: οὕτως (hoo'-toce) adverb from 3778
can no
oudeis (Greek #3762)
not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e. none, nobody, nothing
KJV usage: any (man), aught, man, neither any (thing), never (man), no (man), none (+ of these things), not (any, at all, -thing), nought.
Pronounce: oo-dice'
Origin: οὐδεμία (oo-dem-ee'-ah), and neuter οὐδέν (oo-den') from 3761 and 1520
fountain
pege (Greek #4077)
a fount (literally or figuratively), i.e. source or supply (of water, blood, enjoyment) (not necessarily the original spring)
KJV usage: fountain, well.
Pronounce: pay-gay'
Origin: probably from 4078 (through the idea of gushing plumply)
both yield
poieo (Greek #4160)
to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
KJV usage: abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do(-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, X journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, X secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield. Compare 4238.
Pronounce: poy-eh'-o
Origin: apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary
salt
halukos (Greek #252)
briny
KJV usage: salt.
Pronounce: hal-oo-kos'
Origin: from 251
water
hudor (Greek #5204)
water (as if rainy) literally or figuratively
KJV usage: water.
Pronounce: hoo'-dore
Origin: ὕδατος (hoo'-dat-os), etc. from the base of 5205
and
kai (Greek #2532)
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
KJV usage: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Pronounce: kahee
Origin: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force
fresh
glukus (Greek #1099)
sweet (i.e. not bitter nor salt)
KJV usage: sweet, fresh.
Pronounce: gloo-koos'
Origin: of uncertain affinity
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r
Matt. 7:16• 16By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather a bunch of grapes from thorns, or from thistles figs? (Matt. 7:16)

More on:

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Brethren,
Fig; Fig-Tree,
Fountain,
Olive, Olive Tree,
Salt,
Vine; Vineyard

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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the fig tree.
Isa. 5:2‑4• 2And he dug it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine; and he built a tower in the midst of it, and also hewed out a winepress therein; and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.
 3And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard.
 4What was there yet to do to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?-- (Isa. 5:2‑4)
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Jer. 2:21• 21And I,--I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine unto me? (Jer. 2:21)
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Matt. 7:16‑20• 16By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather a bunch of grapes from thorns, or from thistles figs?
 17So every good tree produces good fruits, but the worthless tree produces bad fruits.
 18A good tree cannot produce bad fruits, nor a worthless tree produce good fruits.
 19Every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
 20By their fruits then surely ye shall know them. (Matt. 7:16‑20)
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Matt. 12:33• 33Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt. For from the fruit the tree is known. (Matt. 12:33)
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Luke 6:43‑44• 43For there is no good tree which produces corrupt fruit, nor a corrupt tree which produces good fruit;
 44for every tree is known by its own fruit, for figs are not gathered from thorns, nor grapes vintaged from a bramble. (Luke 6:43‑44)
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Rom. 11:16‑18• 16Now if the first-fruit be holy, the lump also; and if the root be holy, the branches also.
 17Now if some of the branches have been broken out, and *thou*, being a wild olive tree, hast been grafted in amongst them, and hast become a fellow-partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree,
 18boast not against the branches; but if thou boast, it is not *thou* bearest the root, but the root thee. (Rom. 11:16‑18)
so.
Ex. 15:23‑25• 23And they came to Marah, and could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore the name of it was called Marah.
 24And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
 25And he cried to Jehovah; and Jehovah shewed him wood, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There he made for them a statute and an ordinance; and there he tested them. (Ex. 15:23‑25)
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2 Kings 2:19‑22• 19And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold now, the situation of the city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is barren.
 20And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him.
 21And he went forth to the source of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith Jehovah: I have healed these waters: there shall not be from thence any more death or barrenness.
 22And the waters were healed to this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spoke. (2 Kings 2:19‑22)
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Ezek. 47:8‑11• 8And he said unto me, These waters issue out toward the east district, and go down into the plain, and go into the sea; when they are brought forth into the sea, the waters thereof shall be healed.
 9And it shall come to pass that every living thing which moveth, whithersoever the double river shall come, shall live. And there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters shall come thither, and the waters of the sea shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh.
 10And it shall come to pass, that fishers shall stand upon it; from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim shall be a place to spread forth nets: their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.
 11But its marshes and its pools shall not be healed; they shall be given up to salt. (Ezek. 47:8‑11)
• Nothing but the power of the Spirit filling the heart with the grace of Christ can restrain the tongue. When the heart is enjoying the grace and love of Christ, the tongue will speak in grace out of the abundance of the heart. (“The Evil of the Flesh: James 3-4” by H. Smith)
• The flesh, our old nature, has been judged and condemned at the cross. “Sin in the flesh,” (1 Peter 3:18) as Rom. 8:3 puts it, has been condemned, and the believer, knowing this, is responsible to treat it as a judged and condemned thing, which consequently is not allowed to act. The believer therefore IS to be reprimanded if his tongue acts as an outlet for the evil of the flesh. (“James 3” by F.B. Hole)

J. N. Darby Translation

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12
Can, my brethren, a fig produce olives, or a vine figs? Neither can salt water make sweet water.

W. Kelly Translation

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12
Can, my brethren, a fig tree produce olives, or a vine, figs? Neithera [can] salt water produce sweet.

WK Translation Notes

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a
It is possible that the first word of the last clause oute (neither) may have through hasty misapprehension given rise to the added outēs ("so" or "thus") of the T. R. Then came an effort to make the phrase more pointed by reading (no fountain). Some MSS. have outēs "so," others read the text which yields the translation given above. The insertion of the conjunction "and" in the last clause is opposed to the weightiest of the ancient witnesses and loses the point of the true text, which varies the figure by a negation which is indisputable.