James 3:12

12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, produce olive berries? or the vine, figs? In the same manner no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

James 3:12 Meaning and Commentary

James 3:12

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries?
&c.] Every tree bears fruit, according to its kind; a fig tree produces figs, and an olive tree olive berries; a fig tree does not produce olive berries, or an olive tree figs; and neither of them both:

either a vine, figs?
or fig trees, grapes; or either of them, figs and grapes:

so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
The Alexandrian copy reads, "neither can the salt water yield sweet water"; that is, the sea cannot yield sweet or fresh water: the Syriac version renders it, "neither can salt water be made sweet": but naturalists say, it may be made sweet, by being strained through sand: the design of these similes is to observe how absurd a thing it is that a man should both bless and curse with his tongue.

James 3:12 In-Context

10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

11 Does a fountain send forth at the same place both sweet and bitter water?

12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, produce olive berries? or the vine, figs? In the same manner no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

13 Who is wise and ready among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works in meekness of wisdom.

14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, boast not and do not be liars against the truth.