James 3:12

μὴ δύναται ἀδελφοί μου συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα οὕτως οὐδεμια πηγὴ ἁλυκὸν καὶ γλυκὺ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Word Reference
Original Word Definitions
μὴ
G3361 PRT
mē
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether
  • no, not lest
δύναται
G1410 V-PNI-3S
dynamai
to be able or possible
  • to be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favorable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom
    • "to be able to do something"to be capable, strong and powerful
ἀδελφοί
G80 N-VPM
adelphos
a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like G0001)
  • a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother
    • "having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, or countryman"any fellow or man"a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection"an associate in employment or office"brethren in Christ
    • his brothers by blood
      • "all men"apostles"Christians, as those who are exalted to the same heavenly place
μου
G3450
mou
of me
  • I, me, my, of me
συκῆ
G4808 N-NSF
sykē
a fig-tree
  • a fig tree
ἐλαίας
G1636 N-APF
elaia
an olive (the tree or the fruit)
  • an olive tree
    • "an olive, the fruit of an olive tree
ποιῆσαι
G4160 V-AAN
poieō
to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
  • to make
    • with the names of things made, to produce, construct, form, fashion, etc.
      • "to be the authors of, the cause"to make ready, to prepare"to produce, bear, shoot forth"to acquire, to provide a thing for one's self"to make a thing out of something"to (make i.e.,) render one anything
      • to (make i.e.,) constitute or appoint one anything, to appoint or ordain one that
        • "to (make i.e.,) declare one anything
      to put one forth, to lead him out"to make one do something
      • cause one to
      to be the authors of a thing (to cause, bring about)
    to do
    • to act rightly, do well
      • to carry out, to execute
      to do a thing unto one
      • to do to one
      with designation of time: to pass, spend"to celebrate, keep
      • to make ready, and so at the same time to institute, the celebration of the passover
      to perform: to a promise
ἢ
G2228 CONJ
ē
disjunctive, or; comparative, than
  • either, or, than
ἄμπελος
G288 N-NSF
ampelos
a vine (as coiling about a support)
  • a vine
σῦκα
G4810 N-APN
sykon
a fig
  • a fig, the ripe fruit of a fig tree
οὕτως
G3779
houtō
in this way (referring to what precedes or follows)
  • in this manner, thus, so
οὐδεμια
G3762
oudeis
not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e., none, nobody, nothing
  • no one, nothing
πηγὴ
G4077
pēgē
a fount (literally or figuratively), i.e., source or supply (of water, blood, enjoyment) (not necessarily the original spring)
  • fountain, spring
    • "a well fed by a spring
ἁλυκὸν
G252 A-NSN
halykos
briny
  • salt
καὶ
G2532
kai
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
  • and, also, even, indeed, but
γλυκὺ
G1099 A-ASN
glykys
sweet (i.e., not bitter nor salt)
  • sweet
ποιῆσαι
G4160 V-AAN
poieō
to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
  • to make
    • with the names of things made, to produce, construct, form, fashion, etc.
      • "to be the authors of, the cause"to make ready, to prepare"to produce, bear, shoot forth"to acquire, to provide a thing for one's self"to make a thing out of something"to (make i.e.,) render one anything
      • to (make i.e.,) constitute or appoint one anything, to appoint or ordain one that
        • "to (make i.e.,) declare one anything
      to put one forth, to lead him out"to make one do something
      • cause one to
      to be the authors of a thing (to cause, bring about)
    to do
    • to act rightly, do well
      • to carry out, to execute
      to do a thing unto one
      • to do to one
      with designation of time: to pass, spend"to celebrate, keep
      • to make ready, and so at the same time to institute, the celebration of the passover
      to perform: to a promise
ὕδωρ
G5204 N-ASN
hydōr
water (as if rainy) literally or figuratively
  • water
    • of water in rivers, in fountains, in pools
      • "of the water of the deluge"of water in any of the earth's repositories"of water as the primary element, out of and through which the world that was before the deluge, arose and was compacted"of the waves of the sea"figuratively used of many peoples

μὴ δύναται ἀδελφοί μου συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα οὕτως οὐδεμια πηγὴ ἁλυκὸν καὶ γλυκὺ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ
12
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Cross References

Luke 6:43

Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν δένδρον καλὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν σαπρόν οὐδὲ δένδρον σαπρὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλόν
43
For a good tree bringeth forth not corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt forth tree bring good fruit.

Matthew 12:33

Ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον καλὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ καλόν· ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον σαπρὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ σαπρόν· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ δένδρον γινώσκεται
33
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

Matthew 7:16

ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς· μήτι συλλέγουσιν ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν σταφυλὴν ἢ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σῦκα
16
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Jeremiah 2:21

וְאָֽנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת וְאֵיךְ נֶהְפַּכְתְּ לִי סוּרֵי הַגֶּפֶן נָכְרִיָּֽה׃
21
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?

Romans 11:16

εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀπαρχὴ ἁγία καὶ τὸ φύραμα· καὶ εἰ ἡ ῥίζα ἁγία καὶ οἱ κλάδοι
16
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

Ezekiel 47:8

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי הַמַּיִם הָאֵלֶּה יוֹצְאִים אֶל-הַגְּלִילָה הַקַּדְמוֹנָה וְיָרְדוּ עַל-הָֽעֲרָבָה וּבָאוּ הַיָּמָּה אֶל-הַיָּמָּה הַמּֽוּצָאִים ‫(ונרפאו)‬ וְנִרְפּוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃
8
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.

Isaiah 5:2

וַֽיְעַזְּקֵהוּ וַֽיְסַקְּלֵהוּ וַיִּטָּעֵהוּ שֹׂרֵק וַיִּבֶן מִגְדָּל בְּתוֹכוֹ וְגַם-יֶקֶב חָצֵב בּוֹ וַיְקַו לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲנָבִים וַיַּעַשׂ בְּאֻשִֽׁים׃
2
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.

2 Kings 2:19

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר אֶל-אֱלִישָׁע הִנֵּה-נָא מוֹשַׁב הָעִיר טוֹב כַּֽאֲשֶׁר אֲדֹנִי רֹאֶה וְהַמַּיִם רָעִים וְהָאָרֶץ מְשַׁכָּֽלֶת׃
19
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.

Exodus 15:23

וַיָּבֹאוּ מָרָתָה וְלֹא יָֽכְלוּ לִשְׁתֹּת מַיִם מִמָּרָה כִּי מָרִים הֵם עַל-כֵּן קָרָֽא-שְׁמָהּ מָרָֽה׃
23
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.
James 3:11
Read James 3
James 3:13