James 1

James · Chapter 1

James 1:26

1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.9Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:10But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.11For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.16Do not err, my beloved brethren.17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.If any man thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man’s religion is vain.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

James 1:19-27Doers of the word

About James 1James writes to "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad": "count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations," for "the trying of your faith worketh patience," and anyone who lacks wisdom should "ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally." God tempts no one; "every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust," while "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." So be "swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath," and be "doers of the word, and not hearers only," for pure religion is "To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:1James 1:2James 1:3James 1:5James 1:13James 1:14James 1:17James 1:19James 1:22James 1:27

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
IfΕἴEiG1487G
if

εἰ (ei) εἰ, conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions. I. Conditional, if; 1. with indic, expressing a general assumption; (a) pres.: before indic, pres., Mat.11:14, Rom.8:25, al.; before imperat., Mrk.4:23 9:22, Jhn.15:18, 1Co.7:9, al.; before fut. indic., Luk.16:31, Rom.8:11, al.; before pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Mat.12:26, Rom.4:14, al.; similarly, before impf., Luk.17:6, Jhn.8:39; before quæst., Mat.6:23, Jhn.5:47 7:23 8:46, 1Pe.2:20; (b) fut.: Mat.26:33, 1Pe.2:20; (with) pf.: Jhn.11:12, Rom.6:5, al.; …

anyoneτιςtisG5100
one

τις (tis) τις, neut., τι, genitive, τινός, enclitic indefinite pron., related to interrog. τίς as πού, πως, ποτέ to ποῦ, πῶς, πότε. I. As subst., 1. one, a certain one: Luk.9:49, Jhn.11:1, Act.5:25, al.; pl., τίνες, certain, some: Luk.13:1, Act.15:1, Rom.3:8, al. 2. someone, anyone, something, anything: Mat.12:29, Mrk.9:30, Luk.8:46, Jhn.2:25, Act.17:25, Rom.5:7, al.; = indef., one (French on), Mrk.8:4, Jhn.2:25, Rom.8:24, al.; pl., τινες, some, Mrk.14:4, al. II. II. As adj., …

seemsδοκεῖdokeiG1380
to think

δοκέω (dokeō) δοκέω, -ῶ (δόκος, opinion, δέκομαι, Ion, form of δέχ-), [in LXX for טוֹב, נָדַב, etc. ;] 1. to be of opinion, suppose: Mat.24:44, Luk.12:40, Heb.10:29; with inf., Mat.3:9, Luk.8:18 24:37, Jhn.5:39 16:2, Act.12:9 27:13, 1Co.3:18 7:40 8:2 10:12 14:37, Gal.6:3, Php.3:4, Jas.1:26; with accusative and inf., 1Co.12:23, 2Co.11:16; before ὅτι, Mat.6:7 26:53, Mrk.6:49, Luk.12:51 13:2, 4 19:11, Jhn.5:45 11:13, 31 13:29 20:15, 1Co.4:9, 2Co.12:19, Jas.4:5. …

religiousθρησκὸςthrēskosG2357
religious

θρησκός (thrēskos) θρῆσκος (-κός, WH), -ον, ό religious, careful of the outward forms of divine service (see previous word)): Jas.1:26.† SYN.: εὐσεβής, θεοσεβής, δεισιδαίμων (see Tr., Syn., § xlviii) (AS)

to beεἶναιeinaiG1511
to exist

εἶναι (einai) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

amongἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

youὑμῖνhuminG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

notμὴmēG3361
not

μή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. …

bridlingχαλιναγωγῶνchalinagōgōnG5468
to bridle

χαλιναγωγέω (chalinagōgeō) χαλιναγωγέω, -ῶ (χαλινός, ἄγω), to lead with a bridle; metaphorically, to bridle, restrain: with accusative, γλῶσσαν, Jas.1:26; σῶμα, Jas.3:2.† (AS)

[the] tongueγλῶσσανglōssanG1100
tongue

γλῶσσα (glōssa) γλῶσσα, -ης, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for לָשׁוֹן ;] 1. the tongue, as the organ of speech: Mrk.7:33, 35 Luk.1:64 16:24, Act.2:26" (LXX), Rom.3:13 (LXX) 14:11 (LXX), 1Co.14:9, Php.2:11, Jas.1:26 3:5, 6 8, 1Pe.3:10" (LXX), 1Jo.3:18, Rev.16:10; of a tongue-like object, Act.2:3. …

of himαὐτοῦautouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

butἀλλ᾽all᾽G0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

deceivingἀπατῶνapatōnG0538
to trick

ἀπατάω (apataō) ἀπατάω, -ῶ (ἀπάτη), [in LXX for פָּתָה, נָשָׁא hi., etc. ;] to deceive: with accusative, Jas.1:26; with accusative of person(s), dative of thing(s), Eph.5:6; pass., 1Ti.2:14 (on its infrequency in late writers, see MM, VGT, see word; cf. ἐξαπατάω).† (AS)

[the] heartκαρδίανkardianG2588
heart

καρδία (kardia) καρδία, -ας, ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for לֵבָב ,לֵב ;] the heart, 1. the bodily organ which is regarded as the seat of life ( 2Ki.18:14, 4Ki.9:24, al.). 2. In a psychological sense, the seat of man's collective energies, the focus of personal life, the seat of the rational as well as the emotional and volitional elements in human life, hence that wherein lies the moral and religious condition of the man (DB, ii, 317f.; DGG, ii, 344a); (a) of the seat of physical life ( Jdg.19:5, Psa.101 (102):5 103 (104):15): Act.14:17, Jas.5:5; …

of him,αὐτοῦ,autouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

of this oneτούτουtoutouG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

worthless [is]μάταιοςmataiosG3152
futile

μάταιος (mataios) μάταιος, -ον (as in Att.., but -αία, -αιον, 1Co.15:17, 1Pe.1:18; μάτην), [in LXX for שָׁוְא, הֶבֶל, כָּזָב, etc. ;] vain, useless: ἀνωφελὴς κ. μ., Tit.3:9; πίστις, 1Co.15:17; θρησκεία, Jas.1:26; διαλογισμοί, 1Co.3:20 (LXX); ἀναστροφή, 1Pe.1:18; of idols and heathen gods, τὰ μ. (Jer.2:5, 4Ki.17:15, al.): Act.14:15 SYN.: κενός, q.v (AS)

religion.θρησκεία.thrēskeiaG2356
religion

θρησκεία (thrēskeia) θρησκεία (-κία, T), -ας, ἡ (θρῆσκος), [in LXX: Wis.14:18, 27, Sir.22:5 A, 4Ma.5:6 4Mac 5:13 * ;] religion in its external aspect (MM, Exp., xv), worship: Act.26:5, Jas.1:26-27; θ. τῶν ἀγγέλων, Col.2:18.† SYN.: see: θρῆσκος (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.