// fake multi-line JLabel with JTextArea final JTextArea jta = new JTextArea(); jta.setFont( new Font( "Dialog", Font.PLAIN, 12 ) ); jta.setForeground( FOREGROUND_FOR_INSTRUCTIONS ); jta.setBackground( BACKGROUND_FOR_BODY ); jta.setEditable( false ); jta.setBorder( BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder() ); jta.setText( "line1\nline2");