For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Parallel translations
- WEB for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.
- BSB for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.
- NKJV for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
- NASB for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God.
- NLT Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. Self-willed wrath cannot accomplish God's righteous purposes.
Overview
James gives the reason to be slow to anger: the anger of man, driven by pride and self-interest, fails to bring about the righteous life God requires. This is not a blanket condemnation of all anger but a warning against the sinful, reactive kind. True righteousness is the fruit of God's word at work, not of human temper.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- 2 Tim 2:24–25And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
- Eph 4:26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
- Jas 3:17–18But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
- Num 20:11–12And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
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The wisdom from above and the royal law of love are the life of those who belong to 'our glorious Lord Jesus Christ' — faith in him made visible in works.
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Original language
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