James 4 KJV
1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
James 4 (New Testament)
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
James 4 (New Testament)
13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
| Greek Word + Transliteration + Meaning | Verse + Snippet | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ἡδονή — hēdonē (“pleasure, desire”) | Verse 1 — “…lusts that war in your members.” | Hēdonē refers to self-indulgent craving. James locates conflict inside the heart. The term critiques hedonistic motives. — Thayer, Lexicon (1889) |
| πολεμέω — polemeō (“make war”) | Verse 1 — “…ye war…” | Polemeō denotes inner conflict. James warns that unrestrained passions wage spiritual war. The term paints sin as militaristic rebellion. — Richard Trench, Synonyms (1896) |
| αἰτέω — aiteō (“ask, request”) | Verse 2 — “…ye ask, and receive not…” | Aiteō reveals selfish motives in misguided prayer. James exposes misuse of spiritual privilege. The term confronts inner corruption. — Philip Schaff, Commentary (1882) |
| μοιχαλὶς — moichalis (“adulteress”) | Verse 4 — “…ye adulterers and adulteresses…” | The word metaphorically denotes covenant unfaithfulness. James accuses spiritual infidelity. The term intensifies prophetic rebuke. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary (1884) |
| ὑποτάγητε — hypotagēte (“submit”) | Verse 7 — “…submit yourselves therefore to God…” | Hypotassō implies voluntary surrender to divine authority. James outlines the path to spiritual victory. The term begins a sequence of commands. — James Hastings, Dictionary (1898) |
| ἀνθίστημι — anthistēmi (“resist”) | Verse 7 — “…resist the devil…” | Anthistēmi pictures standing against an enemy. James promises the devil’s retreat. The term conveys active spiritual warfare. — Thayer, Lexicon (1889) |
| ἐγγίζω — engizō (“draw near”) | Verse 8 — “…draw nigh to God…” | Engizō signifies approach to sacred presence. James presents intimacy as reciprocal. The term encourages active seeking. — Richard Trench, Synonyms (1896) |
| ταπεινόω — tapeinoō (“humble”) | Verse 10 — “…humble yourselves…” | Tapeinoō denotes lowering oneself before God. Exaltation follows humility. The term conveys kingdom paradox. — Philip Schaff, Church History (1890) |
| βλασφημέω — blasphēmeō (“speak evil”) | Verse 11 — “…speak not evil…” | The word exposes destructive speech within the community. James defends the law of love. The term shows that judgment belongs to God alone. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary (1884) |
| καυχαομαι — kauchaomai (“boast”) | Verse 16 — “…ye rejoice in your boastings…” | Kauchaomai reveals arrogant presumption. James rebukes self-confidence detached from God’s will. The term critiques prideful planning. — James Hastings, Dictionary (1898) |
Chapter 4
Verse: "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." - James 4:7
Lesson: James reminds us that our ultimate authority is God and we must submit to His will. We must also resist the devil and his temptations, knowing that he will flee from us when we do so.
Conclusion: In a world full of distractions and temptations, it's important to remember that God should be our ultimate authority. We must resist the devil's lies and be obedient to God's will, knowing that His plan for us is good and perfect.
What's Next? Read Our Bible Verses About Life With Purpose and Encouragement
Prayer Points: Father God, help us to submit to Your will and resist the devil's temptations. Give us the strength to remain steadfast in our faith and to trust in Your plan for our lives. Help us to remember that You are the ultimate authority in our lives and that Your ways are always good and perfect. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
What's Next? See our Inspirational Motivational Bible Quotes Today
