Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY
Watchtower
ONLINE LIBRARY
English
  • BIBLE
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • MEETINGS
  • James 3:16
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
    • 16 For wherever there are jealousy and contentiousness,* there will also be disorder and every vile thing.+

  • James 3:16
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures
    • 16 ὅπου where γὰρ for ζῆλος jealousy καὶ and ἐριθία, contentiousness, ἐκεῖ there ἀκαταστασία unsettled state καὶ and πᾶν every φαῦλον vile πρᾶγμα. thing.

  • James 3:16
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References
    • 16 For where jealousy+ and contentiousness are, there disorder* and every vile thing are.+

  • James 3:16
    The Bible in Living English
    • 16 for where jealousy and contests are, there is disorder and every faulty action.

  • James 3:16
    American Standard Version
    • 16 For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.

  • James 3:16
    The Emphasized Bible
    • 16 For where jealousy and rivalry are There are anarchy and every ignoble deed.

  • James 3:16
    King James Version
    • 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

  • James
    Watch Tower Publications Index 1986-2026
    • 3:16 w97 11/15 18

  • James
    Watch Tower Publications Index 1930-1985
    • 3:16 cj 127; w76 741; g65 8/22 4; w53 412; w47 355

  • James
    Research Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses—2019 Edition
    • 3:16

      The Watchtower,

      11/15/1997, p. 18

  • James Study Notes—Chapter 3
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)
    • 3:16

      contentiousness: Or possibly, “selfish ambition.”​—See study note on Jas 3:14.

      disorder: The Greek word here rendered “disorder” can refer to instability, confusion, and tumult. (See study note on Lu 21:9.) Earlier in this chapter, James used a related Greek word to describe the untamable tongue as “unruly.” (Jas 3:8) The apostle Paul stated that Jehovah “is a God not of disorder but of peace.” (1Co 14:33 and study note) By contrasting “peace” with “disorder,” Paul emphasized that disorder has no place in the congregation.

      every vile thing: The term here rendered “vile” can refer to something bad, evil, contemptible. (See study note on 2Co 5:10, where the same Greek word occurs.) James identifies “disorder and every vile thing” as harmful consequences of jealousy and contentiousness. Both qualities characterize thinking that is “earthly, animalistic, demonic.” (Jas 3:15) As James warns in the following chapter, such traits can bring conflict and wickedness into the congregation.​—Jas 4:1-3; compare 2Co 12:20; Ga 5:15.

English Publications (1950-2027)
Log Out
Log In
  • English
  • Share
  • Preferences
  • Copyright © 2026 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Settings
  • JW.ORG
  • Log In
Share