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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>James 3:12 My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/james/3-12.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/2/59_Jas_03_12.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="James 3:12 - Taming the Tongue" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? 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Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. <a href="/nlt/james/3.htm">New Living Translation</a> Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. <a href="/esv/james/3.htm">English Standard Version</a> Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. <a href="/bsb/james/3.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. <a href="/blb/james/3.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> Is a fig tree able, my brothers, to produce olives? Or a vine, figs? Neither is a salt spring able to produce fresh water. <a href="/kjv/james/3.htm">King James Bible</a> Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. <a href="/nkjv/james/3.htm">New King James Version</a> Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. <a href="/nasb_/james/3.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. <a href="/nasb/james/3.htm">NASB 1995</a> Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. <a href="/nasb77/james/3.htm">NASB 1977 </a> Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Neither can salt water produce fresh. <a href="/lsb/james/3.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can saltwater produce fresh. <a href="/amp/james/3.htm">Amplified Bible</a> Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh. <a href="/csb/james/3.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water. <a href="/hcsb/james/3.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water. <a href="/asv/james/3.htm">American Standard Version</a> Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? neither can salt water yield sweet. <a href="/cev/james/3.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> Can a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? Does fresh water come from a well full of salt water? <a href="/erv/james/3.htm">English Revised Version</a> Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? neither can salt water yield sweet. <a href="/gwt/james/3.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? In the same way, a pool of salt water can't produce fresh water. <a href="/gnt/james/3.htm">Good News Translation</a> A fig tree, my friends, cannot bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear figs, nor can a salty spring produce sweet water. <a href="/isv/james/3.htm">International Standard Version</a> My brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives, nor a grapevine figs, can it? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. <a href="/msb/james/3.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. <a href="/net/james/3.htm">NET Bible</a> Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water. <a href="/nheb/james/3.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Nor is salt water able to produce sweet. <a href="/wbt/james/3.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> Can the fig-tree, my brethren, bear olive-berries? or a vine, figs? so no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. <a href="/wey/james/3.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> Can a fig-tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine yield figs? No; and neither can salt water yield sweet. <a href="/web/james/3.htm">World English Bible</a> Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water. <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/james/3.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> Is a fig tree able, my brothers, to make olives? Or a vine figs? Neither is salty [water able] to have made sweet water. <a href="/blb/james/3.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> Is a fig tree able, my brothers, to produce olives? Or a vine, figs? Neither is a salt spring able to produce fresh water. <a href="/ylt/james/3.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> is a fig-tree able, my brethren, olives to make? or a vine figs? so no fountain salt and sweet water is able to make. <a href="/slt/james/3.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> The fig tree, my brethren, cannot make olives, or the vine, figs: so no fountain can make salt and sweet water.<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/james/3.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear grapes; or the vine, figs? So neither can the salt water yield sweet. <a href="/cpdv/james/3.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> My brothers, can the fig tree yield grapes? Or the vine, figs? Then neither is salt water able to produce fresh water. <a href="/nabre/james/3.htm">New American Bible</a> Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can salt water yield fresh. <a href="/nrsvce/james/3.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/james/3.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olives? Or the vine, figs? likewise also salt water cannot be made sweet. <a href="/aramaic-plain-english/james/3.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a> Or can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine, figs? So neither can salt water be made sweet.<div class="vheading2">NT Translations</div><a href="/anderson/james/3.htm">Anderson New Testament</a> Can the fig-tree, my brethren, bear olives, or the vine, figs? So no fountain can produce salt water and fresh.<CM> <a href="/godbey/james/3.htm">Godbey New Testament</a> My brethren, whether is the fig-tree able to produce olives, or the vine figs? Neither is the bitter fountain able to produce sweet water. <a href="/haweis/james/3.htm">Haweis New Testament</a> Can a fig-tree, my brethren, produce olives; or a vine figs? so also can no fountain send forth salt water and sweet.<CM> <a href="/mace/james/3.htm">Mace New Testament</a> can a fig-tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine figs? no more can the sea yield water that is fresh. <a href="/wey/james/3.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> Can a fig-tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine yield figs? No; and neither can salt water yield sweet. <a href="/worrell/james/3.htm">Worrell New Testament</a> My brethren, can a fig tree produce olives; or a vine, figs? Neither can salt water yield sweet. <a href="/worsley/james/3.htm">Worsley New Testament</a> Can a fig-tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine figs? so can no fountain produce salt water and sweet. <a href="/parallel/james/3-12.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0xUBCzqsAGw?start=574" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/james/3.htm">Taming the Tongue</a> …11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12<a href="/greek/1473.htm" title="1473: mou (PPro-G1S) -- I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.">My</a> <a href="/greek/80.htm" title="80: adelphoi (N-VMP) -- A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote.">brothers,</a> <a href="/greek/3361.htm" title="3361: mē (Adv) -- Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether."></a> <a href="/greek/1410.htm" title="1410: dynatai (V-PIM/P-3S) -- (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.">can</a> <a href="/greek/4808.htm" title="4808: sykē (N-NFS) -- A fig-tree. From sukon; a fig-tree.">a fig tree</a> <a href="/greek/4160.htm" title="4160: poiēsai (V-ANA) -- (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.">grow</a> <a href="/greek/1636.htm" title="1636: elaias (N-AFP) -- An olive tree; the Mount of Olives. Feminine of a presumed derivative from an obsolete primary; an olive.">olives,</a> <a href="/greek/2228.htm" title="2228: ē (Conj) -- Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.">or</a> <a href="/greek/288.htm" title="288: ampelos (N-NFS) -- A vine, grape-vine. Probably from the base of amphoteros and that of halon; a vine.">a grapevine</a> <a href="/greek/4810.htm" title="4810: syka (N-ANP) -- A (ripe) fig. Apparently a primary word; a fig.">bear figs?</a> <a href="/greek/3777.htm" title="3777: oute (Conj) -- And not, neither, nor. From ou and te; not too, i.e. Neither or nor; by analogy, not even.">Neither can</a> <a href="/greek/252.htm" title="252: halykon (Adj-NNS) -- Salty, saltine, bitter. From hals; briny.">a salt spring</a> <a href="/greek/4160.htm" title="4160: poiēsai (V-ANA) -- (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.">produce</a> <a href="/greek/1099.htm" title="1099: glyky (Adj-ANS) -- Sweet. Of uncertain affinity; sweet.">fresh</a> <a href="/greek/5204.htm" title="5204: hydōr (N-ANS) -- Water. And genitive case, hudatos, etc. From the base of huetos; water literally or figuratively.">water.</a> 13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/matthew/7-16.htm">Matthew 7:16-20</a> By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. / A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ... <a href="/luke/6-43.htm">Luke 6:43-45</a> No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. / For each tree is known by its own fruit. Indeed, figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor grapes from brambles. / The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. <a href="/galatians/5-22.htm">Galatians 5:22-23</a> But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, / gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. <a href="/matthew/12-33.htm">Matthew 12:33-35</a> Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. / You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. / The good man brings good things out of his good store of treasure, and the evil man brings evil things out of his evil store of treasure. <a href="/proverbs/12-12.htm">Proverbs 12:12</a> The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes. <a href="/proverbs/18-21.htm">Proverbs 18:21</a> Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. <a href="/john/15-4.htm">John 15:4-5</a> Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. / I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. <a href="/romans/6-21.htm">Romans 6:21-22</a> What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death. / But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life. <a href="/isaiah/5-1.htm">Isaiah 5:1-7</a> I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. / He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour! / “And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah, I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard. ... <a href="/jeremiah/17-7.htm">Jeremiah 17:7-8</a> But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. / He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit. <a href="/psalms/1-3.htm">Psalm 1:3</a> He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does. <a href="/matthew/3-8.htm">Matthew 3:8-10</a> Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. / And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. / The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. <a href="/colossians/1-10.htm">Colossians 1:10</a> so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, <a href="/ezekiel/17-8.htm">Ezekiel 17:8</a> It had been planted in good soil by abundant waters in order to yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’ <a href="/hosea/9-10.htm">Hosea 9:10</a> I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>Can the fig tree, my brothers, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.the fig tree.<a href="/isaiah/5-2.htm">Isaiah 5:2-4</a> And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes… <a href="/jeremiah/2-21.htm">Jeremiah 2:21</a> Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?<a href="/matthew/7-16.htm">Matthew 7:16-20</a> Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? … so.<a href="/exodus/15-23.htm">Exodus 15:23-25</a> And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah… <a href="/2_kings/2-19.htm">2 Kings 2:19-22</a> And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren… <a href="/ezekiel/47-8.htm">Ezekiel 47:8-11</a> Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed… <div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/james/3-8.htm">Able</a> <a href="/hebrews/13-22.htm">Bear</a> <a href="/isaiah/17-6.htm">Berries</a> <a href="/1_timothy/6-7.htm">Either</a> <a href="/john/1-50.htm">Fig</a> <a href="/luke/6-45.htm">Figs</a> <a href="/john/1-50.htm">Fig-Tree</a> <a href="/james/3-11.htm">Fountain</a> <a href="/james/3-11.htm">Fresh</a> <a href="/judges/13-14.htm">Grapevine</a> <a href="/romans/11-24.htm">Olive</a> <a href="/acts/1-12.htm">Olives</a> <a href="/james/1-20.htm">Produce</a> <a href="/james/3-11.htm">Salt</a> <a href="/james/3-7.htm">Sea</a> <a href="/james/3-11.htm">Spring</a> <a href="/james/3-11.htm">Sweet</a> <a href="/galatians/3-13.htm">Tree</a> <a href="/john/15-5.htm">Vine</a> <a href="/james/3-11.htm">Water</a> <a href="/titus/3-2.htm">Yield</a> <a href="/hebrews/12-11.htm">Yields</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/james/4-2.htm">Able</a> <a href="/1_peter/2-20.htm">Bear</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/32-32.htm">Berries</a> <a href="/james/5-12.htm">Either</a> <a href="/revelation/6-13.htm">Fig</a> <a href="/revelation/6-13.htm">Figs</a> <a href="/revelation/6-13.htm">Fig-Tree</a> <a href="/revelation/21-6.htm">Fountain</a> <a href="/revelation/22-2.htm">Fresh</a> <a href="/numbers/6-4.htm">Grapevine</a> <a href="/revelation/11-4.htm">Olive</a> <a href="/exodus/27-20.htm">Olives</a> <a href="/james/5-7.htm">Produce</a> <a href="/genesis/14-3.htm">Salt</a> <a href="/jude/1-13.htm">Sea</a> <a href="/james/5-7.htm">Spring</a> <a href="/revelation/10-9.htm">Sweet</a> <a href="/1_peter/2-24.htm">Tree</a> <a href="/revelation/14-18.htm">Vine</a> <a href="/1_peter/3-20.htm">Water</a> <a href="/genesis/1-11.htm">Yield</a> <a href="/leviticus/25-6.htm">Yields</a><div class="vheading2">James 3</div>1. <a href="/james/3-1.htm">We are not rashly or arrogantly to reprove others;</a> 5. <a href="/james/3-5.htm">but rather to bridle the tongue, a little member, </a> 9. <a href="/james/3-9.htm">but a powerful instrument of much good, and great harm.</a> 13. <a href="/james/3-13.htm">The truly wise are mild and peaceable, without envy and strife.</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/james/3.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/james/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/james/3.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div>My brothers This phrase indicates a familial and intimate relationship among believers, emphasizing unity and shared faith. The term "brothers" is often used by New Testament writers to address fellow Christians, highlighting the early church's sense of community. It reflects the Jewish tradition of addressing fellow Israelites as "brothers," which is seen throughout the Old Testament.can a fig tree grow olives The fig tree and olive tree are significant in biblical symbolism. The fig tree often represents Israel (<a href="/hosea/9-10.htm">Hosea 9:10</a>, <a href="/joel/1-7.htm">Joel 1:7</a>), while the olive tree symbolizes peace and prosperity (<a href="/psalms/52-8.htm">Psalm 52:8</a>, <a href="/romans/11-17.htm">Romans 11:17-24</a>). This rhetorical question underscores the natural order established by God, where each tree produces fruit according to its kind, as seen in <a href="/genesis/1-11.htm">Genesis 1:11-12</a>. It serves as a metaphor for the consistency expected in a believer's life, where one's actions should align with their faith.or a grapevine bear figs The grapevine is another important symbol in Scripture, often representing abundance and blessing (<a href="/genesis/49-11.htm">Genesis 49:11</a>, <a href="/john/15.htm">John 15:1-5</a>). The impossibility of a grapevine bearing figs further illustrates the principle of producing fruit consistent with one's nature. This imagery is reminiscent of Jesus' teaching in <a href="/matthew/7-16.htm">Matthew 7:16-20</a>, where He speaks about recognizing people by their fruits, emphasizing the importance of genuine faith manifesting in righteous deeds.Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water This analogy highlights the inconsistency of a believer's speech and actions not aligning with their faith. In the ancient Near East, fresh water was a precious resource, essential for life and agriculture, while salt water was undrinkable and often associated with desolation (<a href="/deuteronomy/29-23.htm">Deuteronomy 29:23</a>). The imagery of water is frequently used in Scripture to symbolize purity and life (<a href="/john/4-14.htm">John 4:14</a>, <a href="/revelation/22.htm">Revelation 22:1</a>). This phrase calls believers to examine their hearts and ensure that their words and actions reflect the purity and life-giving nature of their faith.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <a href="/topical/j/james.htm">James</a> The author of the epistle, traditionally identified as James, the brother of Jesus and a leader in the early Jerusalem church. He writes with authority and pastoral concern for the moral and spiritual conduct of believers. 2. <a href="/topical/f/fig_tree.htm">Fig Tree</a> A common tree in the Mediterranean region, often used in Scripture as a symbol of Israel or spiritual fruitfulness. 3. <a href="/topical/o/olives.htm">Olives</a> A staple crop in ancient Israel, symbolizing peace, prosperity, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 4. <a href="/topical/g/grapevine.htm">Grapevine</a> Another significant plant in biblical times, representing abundance, joy, and the covenant relationship between God and His people. 5. <a href="/topical/s/salt_spring.htm">Salt Spring</a> A natural source of water that is salty, used metaphorically to illustrate the inconsistency of producing both good and bad from the same source.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><a href="/topical/c/consistency_in_christian_living.htm">Consistency in Christian Living</a> Just as a fig tree cannot produce olives, a Christian's life should consistently reflect the character of Christ. Our words and actions should align with our faith. <a href="/topical/t/the_power_of_the_tongue.htm">The Power of the Tongue</a> The analogy of the salt spring reminds us that our speech should be pure and life-giving, not contradictory or harmful. <a href="/topical/s/spiritual_fruitfulness.htm">Spiritual Fruitfulness</a> Believers are called to bear spiritual fruit that is in keeping with repentance and the new life in Christ, as evidenced by our conduct and speech. <a href="/topical/s/self-examination.htm">Self-Examination</a> Regularly assess whether your words and actions reflect the nature of Christ or if there are areas of inconsistency that need to be addressed. <a href="/topical/d/dependence_on_the_holy_spirit.htm">Dependence on the Holy Spirit</a> True transformation and consistency in our speech and actions come from relying on the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in us.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_james_3.htm">Top 10 Lessons from James 3</a> <a href="/q/what_does_the_bible_say_on_sin.htm">What does the Bible say about Christian sin?</a> <a href="/q/is_james_3_11-12_metaphorically_valid.htm">James 3:11-12 uses water and plant analogies to illustrate consistent outcomes; is this scientifically or metaphorically sound regarding moral behavior?</a> <a href="/q/why_curse_a_fig_tree_out_of_fig_season.htm">Mark 11:12-14, 20-21: Why would Jesus curse a fig tree for lacking fruit when it was not the season for figs?</a> <a href="/q/what_fruit_was_forbidden_in_the_bible.htm">What fruit was forbidden in the Bible?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/james/3.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(12) Can the fig-tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs?--Read, Can a fig-tree bear olives, or a vine, figs? The inquiry sounds like a memory of our Lord's, "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" (<a href="/matthew/7-16.htm" title="You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?">Matthew 7:16</a>.)So can no fountain . . .--This, the last clause of the sentence above in the Authorised version is very confused in the original, but seems to be merely this, Neither can salt (water) bring forth fresh; or, as Wordsworth renders it, Nor can water that is salt produce what is sweet. And such in effect is Alford's comment: "If the mouth emit cursing, thereby making itself a brackish spring, it cannot to any purpose also emit the sweet stream of praise and good words; if it appear to do so, all must be hypocrisy and mere seeming." Every blessing is, in fact, tainted by the tongue which has uttered curses; and even "Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner" (<a href="//apocrypha.org/ecclesiasticus/15-9.htm" title="Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, for it was not sent him of the Lord.">Ecclesiasticus 15:9</a>). <a href="/commentaries/james/3-12.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div>My μου (mou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_1473.htm">Strong's 1473: </a> I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I. brothers, ἀδελφοί (adelphoi) Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_80.htm">Strong's 80: </a> A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote. can δύναται (dynatai) Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_1410.htm">Strong's 1410: </a> (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible. a fig tree συκῆ (sykē) Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_4808.htm">Strong's 4808: </a> A fig-tree. From sukon; a fig-tree. grow ποιῆσαι (poiēsai) Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active <a href="/greek/strongs_4160.htm">Strong's 4160: </a> (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do. olives, ἐλαίας (elaias) Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_1636.htm">Strong's 1636: </a> An olive tree; the Mount of Olives. Feminine of a presumed derivative from an obsolete primary; an olive. or ἢ (ē) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2228.htm">Strong's 2228: </a> Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than. a grapevine ἄμπελος (ampelos) Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_288.htm">Strong's 288: </a> A vine, grape-vine. Probably from the base of amphoteros and that of halon; a vine. [bear] figs? σῦκα (syka) Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_4810.htm">Strong's 4810: </a> A (ripe) fig. Apparently a primary word; a fig. Neither [can] οὔτε (oute) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_3777.htm">Strong's 3777: </a> And not, neither, nor. From ou and te; not too, i.e. Neither or nor; by analogy, not even. a salt [spring] ἁλυκὸν (halykon) Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_252.htm">Strong's 252: </a> Salty, saltine, bitter. From hals; briny. produce ποιῆσαι (poiēsai) Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active <a href="/greek/strongs_4160.htm">Strong's 4160: </a> (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do. fresh γλυκὺ (glyky) Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_1099.htm">Strong's 1099: </a> Sweet. Of uncertain affinity; sweet. water. ὕδωρ (hydōr) Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_5204.htm">Strong's 5204: </a> Water. And genitive case, hudatos, etc. From the base of huetos; water literally or figuratively. <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/james/3-12.htm">James 3:12 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/james/3-12.htm">NT Letters: James 3:12 Can a fig tree my brothers yield (Ja Jas. Jam) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/james/3-11.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="James 3:11"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="James 3:11" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/james/3-13.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="James 3:13"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="James 3:13" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>