James 3:15
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Cross-reference
James 3:17 describes wisdom from above as pure, peaceable — the direct opposite of the earthly, demonic wisdom in 3:15.
James 1:17 says every good gift comes from above, contrasting with the earthly wisdom that does not come from above.
James 1:5 offers the remedy: ask God for wisdom, contrasting with the earthly wisdom described here.
In Genesis 3:1-5, the serpent's cunning deception provides the prototype for the demonic wisdom James describes.
In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, false apostles disguise themselves as servants of righteousness — echoing the deceptive, demonic wisdom.
In 2 Corinthians 11:3, Paul warns of the serpent's cunning that led Eve astray — the same demonic deception.
In 2 Corinthians 1:12, Paul contrasts earthly wisdom with godly sincerity and grace — the same dichotomy as James.
In 1 Corinthians 3:19, this calls the wisdom of this world folly — directly echoing James's 'earthly, unspiritual, demonic' wisdom.
Philippians 3:19 warns of minds set on earthly things, directly paralleling the earthly wisdom condemned in James 3:15.
In 1 Corinthians 2:14, the 'natural person' uses the same Greek word 'psychikos' — unable to receive spiritual things.
In 1 Corinthians 2:7, this contrasts earthly wisdom with God's hidden wisdom — the true wisdom from above.
God chooses the foolish to shame the wise—this inverts worldly values, reinforcing James's point about earthly wisdom's inadequacy.
God made foolish the wisdom of the world—this directly echoes the contrast James makes between earthly and heavenly wisdom.
God destroying the wisdom of the wise—this scriptural promise aligns with James's condemnation of worldly wisdom.
Those claiming to be wise become fools—this outcome exemplifies the futility of earthly wisdom James warns about.
In Acts 13:10, Paul calls Elymas a son of the devil, full of deceit — illustrating demonic wisdom in action.
In John 8:44, Jesus describes the devil as the father of lies — the source of the demonic wisdom.
Jesus notes the shrewdness of this age's children—directly parallel to the earthly wisdom James contrasts with heavenly.
God's people skilled in evil but not in good—this matches James's description of earthly, demonic wisdom in action.
1 John 3:8-10 identifies those who practice sin as children of the devil — the same source as the demonic wisdom described here.
In Jude 1:19, the same Greek word 'psychikos' is used for 'worldly' — describing those devoid of the Spirit.
Revelation 12:9 identifies Satan as the deceiver of the whole world — the source of the demonic wisdom that is earthly and unspiritual.
In 1 John 2:16, worldly desires are not from the Father, directly paralleling the earthly wisdom not from above here.
In Revelation 16:14, demonic spirits deceive the world, sharing the 'demonic' label with the wisdom described here.
In Ephesians 4:2, humility and gentleness are fruits of heavenly wisdom, contrasting the envy and ambition of earthly wisdom here.
In John 8:23, Jesus contrasts 'from below' vs. 'from above', directly mirroring the earthly vs. heavenly wisdom distinction here.
Mark 8:33 shows Jesus rebuking Peter for setting his mind on human things — a direct example of earthly, unspiritual thinking.
Daniel 2:21 affirms that God gives wisdom to the wise — the heavenly source that stands opposed to the earthly, demonic wisdom.
Proverbs 2:7 says God stores up sound wisdom for the upright — contrasting sharply with the earthly, demonic wisdom not from above.
In Galatians 5:19, works of the flesh like sensuality stem from the unspiritual, earthly wisdom described here.
Exodus 1:10 shows Pharaoh's shrewd plan to oppress Israel — a concrete example of earthly, unspiritual wisdom in action.
In Ephesians 4:31, bitterness and malice are the disorderly practices that result from earthly wisdom, as stated here.
1 Corinthians 3:3 describes jealousy and strife as fleshly, aligning with James 3:15's 'earthly, unspiritual' wisdom.
In 2 Timothy 2:7, understanding comes from the Lord, contrasting the earthly, demonic wisdom that is not from above here.
In Luke 16:4, the dishonest manager's cunning plan exemplifies the earthly wisdom condemned here — worldly shrewdness for self-gain.
Ahithophel's esteemed counsel shows how highly prized earthly wisdom can be, yet it remains unspiritual.
David prays that Ahithophel's counsel—earthly wisdom—be turned to foolishness, showing its opposition to God's purposes.