Յակոբոս / James - 4 |

Text:
< PreviousՅակոբոս - 4 James - 4Next >


jg▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ mh▾ all ▾
Matthew Henry: Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible - 1706
In this chapter we are directed to consider, I. Some causes of contention, besides those mentioned in the foregoing chapter, and to watch against them, ver. 1-5. II. We are taught to abandon the friendship of this world, so as to submit and subject ourselves entirely to God, ver. 4-10. III. All detraction and rash judgment of others are to be carefully avoided, ver. 11, 12. IV. We must preserve a constant regard, and pay the utmost deference to the disposals of divine Providence, ver. 13, to the end.
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
The origin of wars and contentions, and the wretched lot of those who are engaged in them, Jam 4:1, Jam 4:2. Why so little heavenly good is obtained, Jam 4:3. The friendship of the world is enmity with God, Jam 4:4, Jam 4:5. God resists the proud, Jam 4:6. Men should submit to God, and pray, Jam 4:7, Jam 4:8. Should humble themselves, Jam 4:9, Jam 4:10. And not speak evil of each other, Jam 4:11, Jam 4:12. The impiety of those who consult not the will of God, and depend not on his providence, Jam 4:13-15. The sin of him who knows the will of God, and does not do it, Jam 4:16, Jam 4:17.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:0: In Jam 3:13-18 the apostle had contrasted the wisdom which is from above with that which is from beneath. The former is peaceable, pure, and gentle, leading to universal kindness and order; the latter earthly, sensual, and devilish. The points suggested in this chapter grow directly out of the remarks made there, and are designed to show the effect of the "wisdom which descendeth not from above," as evinced in the spirit of this world, and thus by contrast to show the value of true wisdom, or of the spirit of religion. Accordingly, the apostle illustrates the effects of the wisdom of this world, or the spirit of this world, by showing what it produces, or what they do who are under its influence. We are not to suppose that the persons to whom the apostle addressed this Epistle were actually guilty of the things here referred to themselves, but such things had an existence in the world, and it gave more life and spirit to the discussion to represent them as existing "among them." In illustrating the subject, he refers to the following things as resulting from the spirit that is opposite to the wisdom which is from above, namely:
(1) Wars and fightings, which are to be traced solely to the lusts of men, Jam 4:1-2;
(2) The neglect of prayer, showing the reason why they did not have the things which were necessary, Jam 4:2;
(3) The fact that when they prayed they did not obtain what they needed, because they prayed with improper motives, in order to have the means of gratifying their sensual desires, Jam 4:3;
(4) The desire of the friendship of the world as one of the fruits of being under the influence of the wisdom which is not from above, Jam 4:4;
(5) Envy, as another of these fruits, Jam 4:5.
In view of these things, and of the danger to which they were exposed of acting under their influence, the apostle proceeds to give them some solemn cautions and admonitions. He tells them that God resists all who are proud, but gives grace to all who are humble, Jam 4:6; he counsels them to submit to God, Jam 4:7, to resist the devil, Jam 4:7, to draw nigh to God, Jam 4:8, to cleanse their hands and their hearts, Jam 4:8, to be afflicted and mourn over their sins, and to become serious and devout, Jam 4:9, and to humble themselves before God that he might lift them up Jam 4:10; he commands them not to speak evil one of another, since by so doing they in fact set themselves up to be judges, and in the circumstances became judges of the law as well as of their brethren, Jam 4:11-12. He then rebukes the confident spirit which lays its plans for the future with no just view of the frailty and uncertainty of human life, and shows them that all their plans for the future should be formed with a distinct recognition of their dependence on God for success, and even for the continuance of life, Jam 4:13-16. The chapter closes with an affirmation that to him that knows how to do good and does it not, to him it is sin, Jam 4:17, implying that all he had said in the chapter might indeed be obvious, and that they would be ready to admit that these things were true, and that if they knew this, and did not do right, they must be regarded as guilty.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
Jam 4:1, We are to strive against covetousness; Jam 4:4, intemperance; Jam 4:5, pride; Jam 4:11, detraction and rash judgment of others; Jam 4:13, and not to be confident in the good success of worldly business, but mindful ever of the uncertainty of this life, to commit ourselves and all our affairs to God's providence.
John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO JAMES 4
In this chapter the apostle gives the true cause of contentions and strifes; and cautions against intemperance, covetousness, pride, detraction, and vain confidence. Having, in the latter part of the preceding chapter, inveighed against strife and contention, he here shows from whence they spring, from a covetous desire of riches and honour; and which yet are not obtained, because they did not ask these things of God with submission to his will; or they asked with a wrong view, namely, to gratify their lusts, Jas 4:1 and he dissuades from such unlawful desires, partly because they were no other than adultery; and partly because indulging them was declaring themselves enemies of God, Jas 4:4 and he deters from pride, under the name of envy, proud men being generally envious; from the sense of the Scripture, which says, not in vain, that the spirit lusts unto it; and from the consequence of it, such as are proud being resisted by the Lord, when he gives more grace to humble ones, Jas 4:5 hence follow several exhortations, and various duties relating to humility; as to submit to God, and resist the devil, encouraged thereunto by this motive, he will flee, Jas 4:7, to draw nigh to God in a way of religious worship, who will draw nigh in a way of grace to his people; to purity of action, and of heart, or to that which is outward and inward, Jas 4:8 to be humbled, mourn, and weep, instead of joy and laughter, Jas 4:9 to lie low before the Lord, who will raise such up, Jas 4:10 and not to speak evil of anyone, since this is judging a brother; nay, a speaking evil of the law, and a judging of that; which is to invade the prerogative of God, the lawgiver, who is able to save, and to destroy; and therefore one man should not take upon him to judge another, Jas 4:11 and as another instance of great neglect of God, and his providence, and disrespect unto it, the apostle takes notice of a common practice among men, and even professors of religion, who resolve to go to such a place, and continue so long, and there make merchandise, and promise themselves success; not considering what frail short lived creatures they are, and how much all depends upon the will of God; and which they should consider, submit to, and be determined by, Jas 4:13 and he reproves them for their boastings and joy in them, as evil, Jas 4:16, and observes, that it is not enough to know what is right and good, unless it is done; and that such knowledge is but an aggravation of the evil of sin committed, Jas 4:17.
4:14:1: Ուստի՛ պատերազմունք՝ եւ ուստի՛ կռիւք ՚ի ձեզ. ոչ յայդպիսի՛ ցանկութեանց ձերոց՝ որ զօրացեալ են յանդամս ձեր[2950]։ [2950] Ոմանք. Պատերազմունք ՚ի ձեզ՝ եւ ուստի կռիւք, ոչ ապաքէն յայնպիսի. կամ՝ յայսպիսի ցան՛՛։
1 Այդ որտեղի՞ց պատերազմներ եւ որտեղի՞ց կռիւներ ձեր մէջ. չէ՞ որ ձեր այն ցանկութիւններից, որոնք կռիւ են մղում ձեր անդամների մէջ:
4 Ուրկէ՞ են պատերազմները եւ ուրկէ՞ կռիւները ձեր մէջ։ Չէ՞ որ ձեր ցանկութիւններէն, որոնք ձեր անդամներուն մէջ կը պատերազմին։
Ուստի՞ պատերազմունք, եւ ուստի՞ կռիւք ի ձեզ. ո՞չ յայդպիսի ցանկութեանց ձերոց որ զօրացեալ են յանդամս ձեր:

4:1: Ուստի՛ պատերազմունք՝ եւ ուստի՛ կռիւք ՚ի ձեզ. ոչ յայդպիսի՛ ցանկութեանց ձերոց՝ որ զօրացեալ են յանդամս ձեր[2950]։
[2950] Ոմանք. Պատերազմունք ՚ի ձեզ՝ եւ ուստի կռիւք, ոչ ապաքէն յայնպիսի. կամ՝ յայսպիսի ցան՛՛։
1 Այդ որտեղի՞ց պատերազմներ եւ որտեղի՞ց կռիւներ ձեր մէջ. չէ՞ որ ձեր այն ցանկութիւններից, որոնք կռիւ են մղում ձեր անդամների մէջ:
4 Ուրկէ՞ են պատերազմները եւ ուրկէ՞ կռիւները ձեր մէջ։ Չէ՞ որ ձեր ցանկութիւններէն, որոնք ձեր անդամներուն մէջ կը պատերազմին։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:11: Откуда у вас вражды и распри? не отсюда ли, от вожделений ваших, воюющих в членах ваших?
4:1  πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν; οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν;
4:1. Πόθεν (Whither-from) πόλεμοι (wars) καὶ (and) πόθεν (whither-from) μάχαι (battlings) ἐν (in) ὑμῖν; (unto-ye?"οὐκ (Not) ἐντεῦθεν, (in-also-from,"ἐκ (out) τῶν (of-the-ones) ἡδονῶν (of-pleasurings) ὑμῶν (of-ye) τῶν (of-the-ones) στρατευομένων ( of-amassing-of ) ἐν (in) τοῖς (unto-the-ones) μέλεσιν (unto-members) ὑμῶν; (of-ye?"
4:1. unde bella et lites in vobis nonne hinc ex concupiscentiis vestris quae militant in membris vestrisFrom whence are wars and contentions among you? Are they not hence, from your concupiscences, which war in your members?
1. Whence wars and whence fightings among you? not hence, of your pleasures that war in your members?
4:1. Where do wars and contentions among you come from? Is it not from this: from your own desires, which battle within your members?
4:1. From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members?
From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members:

1: Откуда у вас вражды и распри? не отсюда ли, от вожделений ваших, воюющих в членах ваших?
4:1  πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν; οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν;
4:1. unde bella et lites in vobis nonne hinc ex concupiscentiis vestris quae militant in membris vestris
From whence are wars and contentions among you? Are they not hence, from your concupiscences, which war in your members?
4:1. Where do wars and contentions among you come from? Is it not from this: from your own desires, which battle within your members?
4:1. From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members?
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ gnv▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ mh▾ tb▾ all ▾
А. П. Лопухин: Tолковая Библия или комментарий на все книги Св.Писания Ветхого и Нового Заветов - 1903-1914
1: В полную противоположность небесной мудрости и плодам ее - правде и миру (III:17-18), св. Апостол строго и в сильном возбуждении духа обличает теперь в читателях господство земной, плотской мудрости, первыми признаками которой являются брани или вражды (polemoi) и свары или распри (macai) среди них. "Войны" и "сражения" (таков буквальный смысл греческих терминов, взятых Апостолом для изображения нравственного состояния читателей) здесь, несомненно, имеют переносный смысл: отнюдь нельзя здесь видеть (вместе с Лянге) войны и сражений иудеев против римлян, так как послание Апостола Иакова написано ранее роковой для иудеев войны с римлянами (66-70: гг. по Р. X.). Как показывает дальнейшая речь Апостола (ст. 2-3: и далее, IV:13-17: и V:1-6), предметом обличения его служат главным образом столкновения на почве корыстолюбия и вообще неумеренной привязанности к миру и его благам. Поставив в первой половине ст. 1-го вопрос: откуда происходят среди читателей этого рода столкновения, жажда и распри, Апостол во второй половине стиха дает и ответ о причине или источнике враждебных столкновений, указывая - в вопросной же форме, - ту же истину, которую высказал еще в гл. I, ст. 14-15, - что корень внутреннего разлада в человеке составляют его похоти, страсть к наслаждениям - hdonai, греховные вожделения, имеющие органом своего проявления телесные члены. Люди "изобретают себе удовольствия, одни ищут пышного стола, что осуждает и Павел, говоря, что такие люди служат не Господу, а своему чреву (Рим 16:18), другие желают приобрести поместья; иные - богатых домов; иной еще иного, что внушает им лукавый, старающийся лишить их спасения" (блаж. Феофил). "Тот внутренний разлад в человеке, о чем говорит здесь св. Апостол, лучше всего надо представлять, как чисто внутреннюю вражду между плотью и духом, сластьми и умом. Здесь причина внешних столкновений. Плоть тянет к земле, дух - к небу; между ними происходит борьба, оканчивающаяся часто печально для духа, и отсюда проистекают и столкновения внешние из-за земных интересов и наживы" (еп. Георгий).
Matthew Henry: Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible - 1706
Origin of War and Contention; Against Pride; Submission to God.A. D. 61.
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. 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.

The former chapter speaks of envying one another, as the great spring of strifes and contentions; this chapter speaks of a lust after worldly things, and a setting too great a value upon worldly pleasures and friendships, as that which carried their divisions to a shameful height.

I. The apostle here reproves the Jewish Christians for their wars, and for their lusts as the cause of them: Whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members, v. 1. The Jews were a very seditious people, and had therefore frequent wars with the Romans; and they were a very quarrelsome divided people, often fighting among themselves; and many of those corrupt Christians against whose errors and vices this epistle was written seem to have fallen in with the common quarrels. Hereupon, our apostle informs them that the origin of their wars and fightings was not (as they pretended) a true zeal for their country, and for the honour of God, but that their prevailing lusts were the cause of all. Observe hence, What is sheltered and shrouded under a specious pretence of zeal for God and religion often comes from men's pride, malice, covetousness, ambition, and revenge. The Jews had many struggles with the Roman power before they ere entirely destroyed. They often unnecessarily embroiled themselves, and then fell into parties and factions about the different methods of managing their wars with their common enemies; and hence it came to pass that, when their cause might be supposed good, yet their engaging in it and their management of it came from a bad principle. Their worldly and fleshly lusts raised and managed their wars and fightings; but one would think here is enough said to subdue those lusts; for, 1. They make a war within as well as fightings without. Impetuous passions and desires first war in their members, and then raise feuds in their nation. There is war between conscience and corruption, and there is war also between one corruption and another, and from these contentions in themselves arose their quarrels with each other. Apply this to private cases, and may we not then say of fightings and strifes among relations and neighbours they come from those lusts which war in the members? From lust of power and dominion, lust of pleasure, or lust of riches, from some one or more of these lusts arise all the broils and contentions that are in the world; and, since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is therefore the right method for the cure of contention to lay the axe to the root, and mortify those lusts that war in the members. 2. It should kill these lusts to think of their disappointment: "You lust, and have not; you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain, v. 2. You covet great things for yourselves, and you think to obtain them by your victories over the Romans or by suppressing this and the other party among yourselves. You think you shall secure great pleasures and happiness to yourselves, by overthrowing every thing which thwarts your eager wishes; but, alas! you are losing your labour and your blood, while you kill one another with such views as these." Inordinate desires are either totally disappointed, or they are not to be appeased and satisfied by obtaining the things desired. The words here rendered cannot obtain signify cannot gain the happiness sought after. Note hence, Worldly and fleshly lusts are the distemper which will not allow of contentment or satisfaction in the mind. 3. Sinful desires and affections generally exclude prayer, and the working of our desires towards God: "You fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. You fight, and do not succeed, because you do not pray you do not consult God in your undertakings, whether he will allow of them or not; and you do not commit your way to him, and make known your requests to him, but follow your own corrupt views and inclinations: therefore you meet with continual disappointments;" or else. 4. "Your lusts spoil your prayers, and make them an abomination to God, whenever you put them up to him, v. 3. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts." As if it had been said, "Though perhaps you may sometimes pray for success against your enemies, yet it is not your aim to improve the advantages you gain, so as to promote true piety and religion either in yourselves or others; but pride, vanity, luxury, and sensuality, are what you would serve by your successes, and by your very prayers. You want to live in great power and plenty, in voluptuousness and a sensual prosperity; and thus you disgrace devotion and dishonour God by such gross and base ends; and therefore your prayers are rejected." Let us learn hence, in the management of all our worldly affairs, and in our prayers to God for success in them, to see that our ends be right. When men follow their worldly business (suppose them tradesmen or husbandmen), and ask of God prosperity, but do not receive what they ask for, it is because they ask with wrong aims and intentions. They ask God to give them success in their callings or undertakings; not that they may glorify their heavenly Father and do good with what they have, but that they may consume it upon their lusts--that they may be enabled to eat better meat, and drink better drink, and wear better clothes, and so gratify their pride, vanity, and voluptuousness. But, if we thus seek the things of this world, it is just in God to deny them; whereas, if we seek any thing that we may serve God with it, we may expect he will either give us what we seek or give us hearts to be content without it, and give opportunities of serving and glorifying him some other way. Let us remember this, that when we speed not in our prayers it is because we ask amiss; either we do not ask for right ends or not in a right manner, not with faith or not with fervency: unbelieving and cold desires beg denials; and this we may be sure of, that, when our prayers are rather the language of our lusts than of our graces, they will return empty.

II. We have fair warning to avoid all criminal friendships with this world: You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? v. 4. Worldly people are here called adulterers and adulteresses, because of their perfidiousness of God, while they give their best affections to the world. Covetousness is elsewhere called idolatry, and it is here called adultery; it is a forsaking of him to whom we are devoted and espoused, to cleave to other things; there is this brand put upon worldly-mindedness--that it is enmity to God. A man may have a competent portion of the good things of this life, and yet may keep himself in the love of God; but he who sets his heart upon the world, who places his happiness in it, and will conform himself to it, and do any thing rather than lose its friendship, he is an enemy to God; it is constructive treason and rebellion against God to set the world upon his throne in our hearts. Whosoever therefore is the friend of the world is the enemy of God. He who will act upon this principle, to keep the smiles of the world, and to have its continual friendship, cannot but show himself, in spirit, and in his actions too, an enemy to God. You cannot serve God and mammon, Matt. vi. 24. Hence arise wars and fightings, even from this adulterous idolatrous love of the world, and serving of it; for what peace can there be among men, so long as there is enmity towards God? or who can fight against God, and prosper? "Think seriously with yourselves what the spirit of the world is, and you will find that you cannot suit yourselves to it as friends, but it must occasion your being envious, and full of evil inclinations, as the generality of the world are. Do you think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?" v. 5. The account given in the holy scriptures of the hearts of men by nature is that their imagination is evil, only evil, and that continually, Gen. vi. 5. Natural corruption principally shows itself by envying, and there is a continual propensity to this. The spirit which naturally dwells in man is always producing one evil imagination or another, always emulating such as we see and converse with and seeking those things which are possessed and enjoyed by them. Now this way of the world, affecting pomp and pleasure, and falling into strifes and quarrels for the sake of these things, is the certain consequence of being friends to the world; for there is no friendship without a oneness of spirit, and therefore Christians, to avoid contentions, must avoid the friendship of the world, and must show that they are actuated by nobler principles and that a nobler spirit dwells in them; for, if we belong to God, he gives more grace than to live and act as the generality of the world do. The spirit of the world teaches men to be churls; God teaches them to be bountiful. The spirit of the world teaches us to lay up, or lay out, for ourselves, and according to our own fancies; God teaches us to be willing to communicate to the necessities and to the comfort of others, and so as to do good to all about us, according to our ability. The grace of God is contrary to the spirit of the world, and therefore the friendship of the world is to be avoided, if we pretend to be friends of God yea, the grace of God will correct and cure the spirit that naturally dwells in us; where he giveth grace, he giveth another spirit than that of the world.

III. We are taught to observe the difference God makes between pride and humility. God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble, v. 6. This is represented as the language of scripture in the Old Testament; for so it is declared in the book of Psalms that God will save the afflicted people (if their spirits be suited to their condition), but will bring down high looks (Ps. xviii. 27); and in the book of Proverbs it is said, He scorneth the scorners, and giveth grace unto the lowly, Prov. iii. 34. Two things are here to be observed:-- 1. The disgrace cast upon the proud: God resists them; the original word, antitassetai, signifies, God's setting himself as in battle array against them; and can there be a greater disgrace than for God to proclaim a man a rebel, an enemy, a traitor to his crown and dignity, and to proceed against him as such? The proud resists God; in his understanding he resists the truths of God; in his will he resists the truths of God; in his will he resists the laws of God; in his passions he resists the providence of God; and therefore no wonder that God sets himself against the proud. Let proud spirits hear this and tremble--God resists them. Who can describe the wretched state of those who make God their enemy? He will certainly fill with same (sooner or later) the faces of such as have filled their hearts with pride. We should therefore resist pride in our hearts, if we would not have God to resist us. 2. The honour and help God gives to the humble. Grace, as opposed to disgrace, is honour; this God gives to the humble; and, where God gives grace to be humble, there he will give all other graces, and, as in the beginning of this sixth verse, he will give more grace. Wherever God gives true grace, he will give more; for to him that hath, and useth what he hath aright, more shall be given. He will especially give more grace to the humble, because they see their need of it, will pray for it and be thankful for it; and such shall have it. For this reason,

IV. We are taught to submit ourselves entirely to God: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you, v. 7. Christians should forsake the friendship of the world, and watch against that envy and pride which they see prevailing in natural men, and should by grace learn to glory in their submissions to God. "Submit yourselves to him as subjects to their prince, in duty, and as one friend to another, in love and interest. Submit your understandings to the truths of God; submit your wills to the will of God, the will of his precept, the will of his providence." We are subjects, and as such must be submissive; not only through fear, but through love; not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. "Submit yourselves to God, as considering how many ways you are bound to this, and as considering what advantage you will gain by it; for God will not hurt you by his dominion over you, but will do you good." Now, as this subjection and submission to God are what the devil most industriously strives to hinder, so we ought with great care and steadiness to resist his suggestions. If he would represent a tame yielding to the will and providence of God as what will bring calamities, and expose to contempt and misery, we must resist these suggestions of fear. If he would represent submission to God as a hindrance to our outward ease, or worldly preferments, we must resist these suggestions of pride and sloth. If he would tempt us to lay any of our miseries, and crosses, and afflictions, to the charge of Providence, so that we might avoid them by following his directions instead of God's, we must resist these provocations to anger, not fretting ourselves in any wise to do evil. "Let not the devil, in these or the like attempts, prevail upon you; but resist him and he will flee from you." If we basely yield to temptations, the devil will continually follow us; but if we put on the whole armour of God, and stand it out against him, he will be gone from us. Resolution shuts and bolts the door against temptation.

V. We are directed how to act towards God, in our becoming submissive to him, v. 8-10. 1. Draw nigh to God. The heart that has rebelled must be brought to the foot of God; the spirit that was distant and estranged from a life of communion and converse with God must become acquainted with him: "Draw nigh to God, in his worship and institutions, and in every duty he requires of you." 2. Cleanse your hands. He who comes unto God must have clean hands. Paul therefore directs to lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting (1 Tim. ii. 8), hands free from blood, and bribes, and every thing that is unjust or cruel, and free from every defilement of sin: he is not subject to God who is a servant of sin. The hands must be cleansed by faith, repentance, and reformation, or it will be in vain for us to draw nigh to God in prayer, or in any of the exercises of devotion. 3. The hearts of the double-minded must be purified. Those who halt between God and the world are here meant by the double-minded. To purify the heart is to be sincere, and to act upon this single aim and principle, rather to please God than to seek after any thing in this world: hypocrisy is heart-impurity; but those who submit themselves to God aright will purify their hearts as well as cleanse their hands. 4. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. "What afflictions God sends take them as he would have you, and by duly sensible of them. Be afflicted when afflictions are sent upon you, and do not despise them; or be afflicted in your sympathies with those who are so, and in laying to heart the calamities of the church of God. Mourn and weep for your own sins and the sins of others; times of contention and division are times to mourn in, and the sins that occasion wars and fightings should be mourned for. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness." This may be taken either as a prediction of sorrow or a prescription of seriousness. Let men think to set grief at defiance, yet God can bring it upon them; none laugh so heartily but he can turn their laughter into mourning; and this the unconcerned Christians James wrote to are threatened should be their case. They are therefore directed, before things come to the worst, to lay aside their vain mirth and their sensual pleasures, that they might indulge godly sorrow and penitential tears. 5. "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord. Let the inward acts of the would be suitable to all those outward expressions of grief, affliction, and sorrow, before mentioned." Humility of spirit is here required, as in the sight of him who looks principally at the spirits of men. "Let there be a thorough humiliation in bewailing every thing that is evil; let there be great humility in doing that which is good: Humble yourselves."

VI. We have great encouragement to act thus towards God: He will draw nigh to those that draw nigh to him (v. 8), and he will lift up those who humble themselves in his sight, v. 10. Those that draw nigh to God in a way of duty shall find God drawing nigh to them in a way of mercy. Draw nigh to him in faith, and trust, and obedience, and he will draw nigh to you for your deliverance. If there be not a close communion between God and us, it is our fault, and not his. He shall lift up the humble. Thus much our Lord himself declared, He that shall humble himself shall be exalted, Matt. xxiii. 12. If we be truly penitent and humble under the marks of God's displeasure, we shall in a little time know the advantages of his favour; he will lift us up out of trouble, or he will lift us up in our spirits and comforts under trouble; he will lift us up to honour and safety in the world, or he will lift us up in our way to heaven, so as to raise our hearts and affections above the world. God will revive the spirit of the humble (Isa. lvii. 15), He will hear the desire of the humble (Ps. x. 17), and he will at last life them up to glory. Before honour is humility. The highest honour in heaven will be the reward of the greatest humility on earth.
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:1: From whence come wars and fightings - About the time in which St. James wrote, whether we follow the earlier or the later date of this epistle, we find, according to the accounts given by Josephus, Bell. Jud. lib. ii. c. 17, etc., that the Jews, under pretense of defending their religion, and procuring that liberty to which they believed themselves entitled, made various insurrections in Judea against the Romans, which occasioned much bloodshed and misery to their nation. The factions also, into which the Jews were split, had violent contentions among themselves, in which they massacred and plundered each other. In the provinces, likewise, the Jews became very turbulent; particularly in Alexandria, and different other parts of Egypt, of Syria, and other places, where they made war against the heathens, killing many, and being massacred in their turn. They were led to these outrages by the opinion that they were bound by their law to extirpate idolatry, and to kill all those who would not become proselytes to Judaism. These are probably the wars and fightings to which St. James alludes; and which they undertook rather from a principle of covetousness than from any sincere desire to convert the heathen. See Macknight.
Come they not hence - of your lusts - This was the principle from which these Jewish contentions and predatory wars proceeded, and the principle from which all the wars that have afflicted and desolated the world have proceeded. One nation or king covets another's territory or property; and, as conquest is supposed to give right to all the possessions gained by it, they kill, slay, burn, and destroy, till one is overcome or exhausted, and then the other makes his own terms; or, several neighboring potentates fall upon one that is weak; and, after murdering one half of the people, partition among themselves the fallen king's territory; just as the Austrians, Prussians, and Russians have done with the kingdom of Poland! - a stain upon their justice and policy which no lapse of time can ever wash out.
These wars and fightings could not be attributed to the Christians in that time; for, howsoever fallen or degenerate, they had no power to raise contentions; and no political consequence to enable them to resist their enemies by the edge of the sword, or resistance of any kind.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:1: From whence come wars and fightings among you? - Margin, "brawlings." The reference is to strifes and contentions of all kinds; and the question, then, as it is now, was an important one, what was their source or origin? The answer is given in the succeeding part of the verse. Some have supposed that the apostle refers here to the contests and seditions existing among the Jews, which afterwards broke out in rebellion against the Roman authority, and which led to the overthrow of the Jewish nation. But the more probable reference is to domestic broils, and to the strifes of sects and parties; to the disputes which were carried on among the Jewish people, and which perhaps led to scenes of violence, and to popular outbreaks among themselves. When the apostle says "among you," it is not necessary to suppose that he refers to those who were members of the Christian church as actually engaged in these strifes, though he was writing to such; but he speaks of them as a part of the Jewish people, and refers to the contentions which pRev_ailed among them as a people - contentions in which those who were Christian converts were in great danger of participating, by being drawn into their controversies, and partaking of the spirit of strife which existed among their countrymen. It is known that such a spirit of contention pRev_ailed among the Jews at that time in an eminent degree, and it was well to put those among them who professed to be Christians on their guard against such a spirit, by stating the causes of all wars and contentions. The solution which the apostle has given of the causes of the strifes pRev_ailing then, will apply substantially to all the wars which have ever existed on the earth.
Come they not hence, even of your lusts? - Is not this the true source of all war and contention? The word rendered "lusts" is in the margin rendered "pleasures." This is the usual meaning of the word (ἡδονὴ hē donē); but it is commonly applied to the pleasures of sense, and thence denotes desire, appetite, lust. It may be applied to any desire of sensual gratification, and then to the indulgence of any corrupt propensity of the mind. The lust or desire of rapine, of plunder, of ambition, of fame, of a more extended dominion, I would be properly embraced in the meaning of the word. The word would equally comprehend the spirit which leads to a brawl in the street, and that which prompted to the conquests of Alexander, Caesar, or Napoleon. All this is the same spirit evinced on a larger or smaller scale.
That war in your members - The word "member" (μέλος melos) denotes, properly, a limb or member of the body; but it is used in the New Testament to denote the members of the body collectively; that is, the body itself as the seat of the desires and passions, Rom 6:13, Rom 6:19; Rom 7:5, Rom 7:23; Col 3:5. The word war here refers to the conflict between those passions which have their seat in the flesh, and the better principles of the mind and conscience, producing a state of agitation and conflict. See the notes at Rom 7:23. Compare Gal 5:17. Those corrupt passions which have their seat in the flesh, the apostle says are the causes of war. Most of the wars which have occurred in the world can be traced to what the apostle here calls lusts. The desire of booty, the love of conquest, the ambition for extended rule, the gratification of Rev_enge, these and similar causes have led to all the wars that have desolated the earth. Justice, equity, the fear of God, the spirit of true religion, never originated any war, but the corrupt passions of men have made the earth one great battle-field. If true religion existed among all men, there would be no more war. War always supposes that wrong has been done on one side or the other, and that one party or the other, or both, is indisposed to do right. The spirit of justice, equity, and truth, which the religion of Christ would implant in the human heart, would put an end to war foRev_er.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:1: whence: Jam 3:14-18
fightings: or, brawlings
come they: Jam 1:14; Gen 4:5-8; Jer 17:9; Mat 15:19; Mar 7:21-23; Joh 8:44; Rom 8:7; Ti1 6:4-10; Tit 3:3; Pe1 1:14, Pe1 2:11, Pe1 4:2, Pe1 4:3; Pe2 2:18, Pe2 3:3; Jo1 2:15-17; Jde 1:16-18
lusts: or, pleasures, Jam 4:3
in: Rom 7:5, Rom 7:23; Gal 5:17; Col 3:5
Geneva 1599
4:1 From (1) whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members?
(1) He advances the same argument, condemning certain other causes of wars and contentions, that is, unbridled pleasures and uncontrolled lusts, by their effects, for so much as the Lord does worthily make them come to no effect, so that they bring nothing to them in whom they reside, but incurable torments.
John Gill
4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you?.... Which are to be understood, not of public and national wars, such as might be between the Jews and other nations at this time; for the apostle is not writing to the Jews in Judea, as a nation, or body politic, but to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, and to such of them as were Christians; nor were Christians in general as yet increased, and become such large bodies, or were whole nations become Christians, and much less at war one against another, which has been the case since; and which, when it is, generally speaking arises from a lust after an increase of power; from the pride and ambitious views of men, and their envy at the happiness of other princes and states: nor do these design theological debates and disputes, or contentions about religious principles; but rather lawsuits, commenced before Heathen magistrates, by the rich, to the oppression of the poor; see Jas 2:6 though it seems best of all to interpret them of those stirs and bustlings, strifes, contentions, and quarrels, about honours and riches; endeavouring to get them by unlawful methods, at least at the expense of their own peace, and that of others:
come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? as pride, envy, covetousness, ambition, &c. which, like so many soldiers, are stationed and quartered in the members of the body, and war against the soul; for in the believer, or converted man, however, there is as it were two armies; a law in the members, warring against the law of the mind; the flesh against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and from this inward war arise external ones; or at least from the corruption of nature, which militates against all that is good, all quarrels and contentions, whether public or private, of a greater or lesser nature, and consequence, spring.
John Wesley
4:1 From whence come wars and fightings - Quarrels and wars among you, quite opposite to this peace? Is it not from your pleasures - Your desires of earthly pleasures. Which war - Against your souls. In your members - Here is the first seat of the war. Hence proceeds the war of man with man, king with king, nation with nation.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:1 AGAINST FIGHTINGS AND THEIR SOURCE; WORLDLY LUSTS; UNCHARITABLE JUDGMENTS, AND PRESUMPTUOUS RECKONING ON THE FUTURE. (Jam. 4:1-17)
whence--The cause of quarrels is often sought in external circumstances, whereas internal lusts are the true origin.
wars, &c.--contrasted with the "peace" of heavenly wisdom. "Fightings" are the active carrying on of "wars." The best authorities have a second "whence" before "fightings." Tumults marked the era before the destruction of Jerusalem when James wrote. He indirectly alludes to these. The members are the first seat of war; thence it passes to conflict between man and man, nation and nation.
come they not, &c.--an appeal to their consciences.
lusts--literally, "pleasures," that is, the lusts which prompt you to "desire" (see on Jas 4:2) pleasures; whence you seek self at the cost of your neighbor, and hence flow "fightings."
that war--"campaign, as an army of soldiers encamped within" [ALFORD] the soul; tumultuously war against the interests of your fellow men, while lusting to advance self. But while warring thus against others they (without his knowledge) war against the soul of the man himself, and against the Spirit; therefore they must be "mortified" by the Christian.
4:24:2: Ցանկայք, եւ ո՛չ ունիք. սպանանէք եւ նախանձիք, եւ ո՛չ կարէք հասանել. պատերազմիք կռուիք՝ եւ ո՛չ ունիք, վասն զի ո՛չ խնդրէք[2951]. [2951] Ոմանք. Ցանկանայք եւ ոչ ու՛՛։
2 Ցանկանում էք, բայց չունէք, ուստի եւ՝ սպանում էք, նախանձում եւ չէք կարողանում ձեռք բերել ձեր ուզածը. պայքարում էք, կռւում եւ ձեռք չէք բերում, որովհետեւ չէք խնդրում:
2 Կը ցանկաք ու չունիք, կը սպաննէք ու կը նախանձիք եւ չէ՛ք կրնար ձեր ուզածին հասնիլ։ Կը պատերազմիք ու կը կռուիք, բայց չունիք, վասն զի չէ՛ք խնդրեր.
Ցանկայք, եւ ոչ ունիք. սպանանէք եւ նախանձիք, եւ ոչ կարէք հասանել. պատերազմիք, կռուիք, եւ ոչ ունիք, վասն զի ոչ խնդրէք:

4:2: Ցանկայք, եւ ո՛չ ունիք. սպանանէք եւ նախանձիք, եւ ո՛չ կարէք հասանել. պատերազմիք կռուիք՝ եւ ո՛չ ունիք, վասն զի ո՛չ խնդրէք[2951].
[2951] Ոմանք. Ցանկանայք եւ ոչ ու՛՛։
2 Ցանկանում էք, բայց չունէք, ուստի եւ՝ սպանում էք, նախանձում եւ չէք կարողանում ձեռք բերել ձեր ուզածը. պայքարում էք, կռւում եւ ձեռք չէք բերում, որովհետեւ չէք խնդրում:
2 Կը ցանկաք ու չունիք, կը սպաննէք ու կը նախանձիք եւ չէ՛ք կրնար ձեր ուզածին հասնիլ։ Կը պատերազմիք ու կը կռուիք, բայց չունիք, վասն զի չէ՛ք խնդրեր.
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:22: Желаете--и не имеете; убиваете и завидуете--и не можете достигнуть; препираетесь и враждуете--и не имеете, потому что не просите.
4:2  ἐπιθυμεῖτε, καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε· φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε, καὶ οὐ δύνασθε ἐπιτυχεῖν· μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε. οὐκ ἔχετε διὰ τὸ μὴ αἰτεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς·
4:2. ἐπιθυμεῖτε, (ye-passion-upon-unto,"καὶ (and) οὐκ (not) ἔχετε: (ye-hold) φονεύετε (ye-slay-of) καὶ (and) ζηλοῦτε, (ye-en-crave,"καὶ (and) οὐ (not) δύνασθε ( ye-able ) ἐπιτυχεῖν: (to-have-had-actuated-upon) μάχεσθε ( ye-battle ) καὶ (and) πολεμεῖτε. (ye-war-unto) οὐκ (Not) ἔχετε (ye-hold) διὰ (through) τὸ (to-the-one) μὴ (lest) αἰτεῖσθαι ( to-appeal-unto ) ὑμᾶς: (to-ye)
4:2. concupiscitis et non habetis occiditis et zelatis et non potestis adipisci litigatis et belligeratis non habetis propter quod non postulatisYou covet, and have not: you kill and envy and cannot obtain. You contend and war, and you have not: because you ask not.
2. Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.
4:2. You desire, and you do not have. You envy and you kill, and you are unable to obtain. You argue and you fight, and you do not have, because you do not ask.
4:2. 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.
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:

2: Желаете--и не имеете; убиваете и завидуете--и не можете достигнуть; препираетесь и враждуете--и не имеете, потому что не просите.
4:2  ἐπιθυμεῖτε, καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε· φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε, καὶ οὐ δύνασθε ἐπιτυχεῖν· μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε. οὐκ ἔχετε διὰ τὸ μὴ αἰτεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς·
4:2. concupiscitis et non habetis occiditis et zelatis et non potestis adipisci litigatis et belligeratis non habetis propter quod non postulatis
You covet, and have not: you kill and envy and cannot obtain. You contend and war, and you have not: because you ask not.
4:2. You desire, and you do not have. You envy and you kill, and you are unable to obtain. You argue and you fight, and you do not have, because you do not ask.
4:2. 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.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ gnv▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ tb▾ all ▾
А. П. Лопухин: Tолковая Библия или комментарий на все книги Св.Писания Ветхого и Нового Заветов - 1903-1914
2-3: Дается наглядная картина беспорядочной взаимной борьбы в обществе читателей послания. Желания и стремления их, обычно не имеющие нравственного характера, не получают удовлетворения. Оттого страсти их еще более разгораются и побуждают к резким, насильственным действиям ревности и убийств, "убийство и зависть, препирательство, недобрые дела, почему и не достигают того, к чему стремятся. Нужно, впрочем, знать, что здесь говорится не о плотском убийстве и вражде. Ибо это тяжело слышать даже о разбойниках, тем более о верующих (хотя некоторых) и приходящих к Господу. Кажется, убийцами называет тех, которые убивают свои души такими предприятиями, за которые у них и вражда против благочестия" (блаж. Феофил.).

Печальным, но неизбежным следствием настроения христиан - немиролюбивого и плотского является бездеятельность, бесплодность их молитвы: "если молитвы о земных благах не исполняются Богом, то причина этого не иная, как та, что молитвы в данном случае злые, так как блага испрашиваются не для того, для чего они должны бы испрашиваться: они испрашиваются с той злой целью, чтобы израсходовать, издержать (dapanan) их к удовлетворению своих похотей и страстей" (еп. Георгий). Такое настроение читателей послания свидетельствует об исключительной привязанности к миру с забвением о Боге, и потому Апостол далее (ст. 4: след.) обличает измену Богу со стороны читателей.
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:2: Ye lust, and have not - Ye are ever covetous, and ever poor.
Ye kill, and, desire to have - Ye are constantly engaged in insurrections and predatory wars, and never gain any advantage.
Ye have not, because ye ask not - Ye get no especial blessing from God as your fathers did, because ye do not pray. Worldly good is your god; ye leave no stone unturned in order to get it; and as ye ask nothing from God but to consume it upon your evil desires and propensities, your prayers are not heard.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:2: Ye lust, and have not - That is, you wish to have something which you do not now possess, and to which you have no just claim, and this prompts to the effort to obtain it by force. You desire extension of territory, fame, booty, the means of luxurious indulgence, or of magnificence and grandeur, and this leads to contest and bloodshed. These are the causes of wars on the large scale among nations and of the contentions and strifes of individuals. The general reason is, that others have that which we have not, and which we desire to have; and not content with endeavoring to obtain it, if we can, in a peaceful and honest manner, and not willing to content ourselves without its possession, we resolve to secure it by force. Socrates is reported by Plato to have said on the day of his death, "nothing else but the body and its desires cause wars, seditions, and contests of every kind; for all wars arise through the possession of wealth."
Phaedo of Plato, by Taylor, London, 1793, p. 158. The system of wars in general, therefore, has been a system of great robberies, no more honest or honorable than the purposes of the foot-pad, and more dignified only because it involves greater skill and talent. It has been said that "to kill one man makes a murderer, to kill many makes a hero." So it may be said, that to steal a horse, or to rob a house, makes a man a thief or burglar; to fire a dwelling subjects him to the punishment of arson; but to plunder kingdoms and provinces, and to cause cities, towns, and hamlets to be wrapped in flames, makes an illustrious conqueror, and gives a title to what is deemed a bright page in history. The one enrolls the name among felons, and consigns the perpetrator to the dungeon or the gibbet; the other, accompanied with no more justice, and with the same spirit, sends the name down to future times as immortal. Yet in the two the all-discerning eye of God may see no difference except in the magnitude of the crime, and in the extent of the injury which has been inflicted. In his way, and according to the measure of his ability, the felon who ends his life in a dungeon, or on the gibbet, is as worthy of grateful and honored remembrance as the conqueror triumphing in the spoils of desolated empires.
Ye kill - Margin, or "envy." The marginal reading "envy" has been introduced from some doubt as to the correct reading of the text, whether it should be φονεύτε phoneute, "ye kill," or φθονεῖτε phthoneite, "ye envy." The latter reading has been adopted by Erasmus, Schmidius, Luther, Beza, and some others, though merely from conjecture. There is no authority from the manuscripts for the change. The correct reading undoubtedly is, ye kill. This expression is probably to be taken in the sense of having a murderous disposition, or fostering a brutal and murderous spirit. It is not exactly that they killed or committed murder pRev_ious to "desiring to have," but that they had such a covetous desire of the possessions of others as to produce a murderous and bloody temper. The spirit of murder was at the bottom of the whole; or there was such a desire of the possessions of others as to lead to the commission of this crime. Of what aggressive wars which have ever existed is not this true?
Desire to have - That is, what is in the possession of others.
And cannot obtain - By any fair and honest means; by purchase or negotiation: and this leads to bloody conquest. All wars might have been avoided if men had been content with what they had, or could rightfully obtain, and had not desired to have what was in the possession of others, which they could not obtain by honest and honorable means. Every war might have been avoided by fair and honorable negociation.
Ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not - Notwithstanding you engage in contentions and strifes, you do not obtain what you seek after. If you sought that from God which you truly need, you would obtain it, for he would bestow upon you all that is really necessary. But you seek it by contention and strife, and you have no security of obtaining it. He who seeks to gain anything by war seeks it in an unjust manner, and cannot depend on the divine help and blessing. The true way of obtaining anything which we really need is to seek it from God by prayer, and then to make use of just and fair means of obtaining it, by industry and honesty, and by a due regard for the rights of others. Thus sought, we shall obtain it if it would be for our good; if it is withheld, it will be because it is best for us that it should not be ours. In all the wars which have been waged on the earth, whether for the settlement of disputed questions, for the adjustment of boundaries, for the vindication of violated rights, or for the permanent extension of empire, how rare has it been that the object which prompted to the war has been secured! The course of events has shown that indisposed as men are to do justice, there is much more probability of obtaining the object by patient negotiation than there is by going to war.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:2: lust: Jam 5:1-5; Pro 1:19; Ecc 4:8; Hab 2:5; Ti1 6:9, Ti1 6:10
kill: or, envy
because: Jam 1:5; Isa 7:12; Mat 7:7, Mat 7:8; Luk 11:9-13; Joh 4:10, Joh 16:24
Geneva 1599
4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, (2) because ye ask not.
(2) He reprehends them by name, who are not ashamed to make God the minister and helper of their lusts and pleasures, in asking things which are either in themselves unlawful or being lawful, ask for them out of wicked motives and uses.
John Gill
4:2 Ye lust, and have not,.... The apostle proceeds to show the unsuccessfulness of many in their desires and pursuits after worldly things; some might be like the sluggard, whose soul desireth all good things, and yet he has nothing, Prov 13:4 because he does not make use of any means, even of such as are proper and necessary, and ought to be used:
ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain; some, instead of kill, which seems not so agreeable, read envy; and then the sense is, they envy at the good and happiness of others, and covet after another's property, but cannot enjoy it; all such envy and covetousness are fruitless, as well as sinful:
ye fight and war, yet ye have not; go to law one with another about each other's property; or rather, make a great stir and hustle to get the things of the world; rise early, and sit up late; strive who should get most, and quarrel about what is gotten, and seek to get all advantages of one another; and yet still have not, what at least is desired and strove for:
because ye ask not; of God, whose blessing only makes rich: instead of all this worldly stir and bustle, and these strivings and quarrellings with one another, it would be much more advisable, and, in the issue, be found to turn to more account, to pray to God for a blessing on your endeavours; and to ask of him the good and necessary things of life, in submission to his will, and with thankfulness for what he has bestowed.
John Wesley
4:2 Ye kill - In your heart, for "he that hateth his brother is a murderer." Ye fight and war - That is, furiously strive and contend. Ye ask not - And no marvel; for a man full of evil desire, of envy or hatred, cannot pray.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:2 Ye lust--A different Greek word from that in Jas 4:1. "Ye desire"; literally, "ye set your mind (or heart) on" an object.
have not--The lust of desire does not ensure the actual possession. Hence "ye kill" (not as Margin, without any old authority, "envy") to ensure possession. Not probably in the case of professing Christians of that day in a literal sense, but "kill and envy" (as the Greek for "desire to have" should be translated), that is, harass and oppress through envy [DRUSIUS]. Compare Zech 11:5, "slay"; through envy, hate, and desire to get out of your way, and so are "murderers" in God's eyes [ESTIUS]. If literal murder [ALFORD] were meant, I do not think it would occur so early in the series; nor had Christians then as yet reached so open criminality. In the Spirit's application of the passage to all ages, literal killing is included, flowing from the desire to possess so David and Ahab. There is a climax: "Ye desire," the individual lust for an object; "ye kill and envy," the feeling and action of individuals against individuals; "ye fight and war," the action of many against many.
ye have not, because ye ask not--God promises to those who pray, not to those who fight. The petition of the lustful, murderous, and contentious is not recognized by God as prayer. If ye prayed, there would be no "wars and fightings." Thus this last clause is an answer to the question, Jas 4:1, "Whence come wars and fightings?"
4:34:3: խնդրէք՝ եւ ո՛չ առնուք, վասն զի չարաչա՛ր խնդրէք. զի անդէն ՚ի ցանկութիւնս ձեր մաշեսջիք[2952]։ [2952] Ոմանք. Մաշիջիք։
3 Խնդրում էք եւ չէք ստանում, որովհետեւ չարամտօրէն էք խնդրում, որպէսզի այն ծառայեցնէք ձեր ցանկութիւններին:
3 Կը խնդրէք ու չէ՛ք առներ, վասն զի չարաչար կը խնդրէք՝ որպէս զի ձեր ցանկութիւններուն բանեցնէք։
խնդրէք եւ ոչ առնուք, վասն զի չարաչար խնդրէք. զի անդէն ի ցանկութիւնս ձեր մաշեսջիք:

4:3: խնդրէք՝ եւ ո՛չ առնուք, վասն զի չարաչա՛ր խնդրէք. զի անդէն ՚ի ցանկութիւնս ձեր մաշեսջիք[2952]։
[2952] Ոմանք. Մաշիջիք։
3 Խնդրում էք եւ չէք ստանում, որովհետեւ չարամտօրէն էք խնդրում, որպէսզի այն ծառայեցնէք ձեր ցանկութիւններին:
3 Կը խնդրէք ու չէ՛ք առներ, վասն զի չարաչար կը խնդրէք՝ որպէս զի ձեր ցանկութիւններուն բանեցնէք։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:33: Просите, и не получаете, потому что просите не на добро, а чтобы употребить для ваших вожделений.
4:3  αἰτεῖτε καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετε, διότι κακῶς αἰτεῖσθε, ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν δαπανήσητε.
4:3. αἰτεῖτε (ye-appeal-unto) καὶ (and) οὐ (not) λαμβάνετε, (ye-take,"διότι (through-to-which-a-one) κακῶς (unto-disrupted) αἰτεῖσθε , ( ye-appeal-unto ,"ἵνα (so) ἐν (in) ταῖς (unto-the-ones) ἡδοναῖς (unto-pleasurings) ὑμῶν (of-ye) δαπανήσητε. (ye-might-have-expended-unto)
4:3. petitis et non accipitis eo quod male petatis ut in concupiscentiis vestris insumatisYou ask and receive not: because you ask amiss, that you may consume it on your concupiscences.
3. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend in your pleasures.
4:3. You ask and you do not receive, because you ask badly, so that you may use it toward your own desires.
4:3. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts.
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts:

3: Просите, и не получаете, потому что просите не на добро, а чтобы употребить для ваших вожделений.
4:3  αἰτεῖτε καὶ οὐ λαμβάνετε, διότι κακῶς αἰτεῖσθε, ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν δαπανήσητε.
4:3. petitis et non accipitis eo quod male petatis ut in concupiscentiis vestris insumatis
You ask and receive not: because you ask amiss, that you may consume it on your concupiscences.
4:3. You ask and you do not receive, because you ask badly, so that you may use it toward your own desires.
4:3. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ all ▾
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:3: Ye ask, and receive not - Some think that this refers to their prayers for the conversion of the heathen; and on the pretense that they were not converted thus; they thought it lawful to extirpate them and possess their goods.
Ye ask amiss - Κακως αιτεισθε· Ye ask evilly, wickedly. Ye have not the proper dispositions of prayer, and ye have an improper object. Ye ask for worldly prosperity, that ye may employ it in riotous living. This is properly the meaning of the original, ἱνα εν ταις ἡδοναις ὑμων δαπανησητε, That ye may expend it upon your pleasures. The rabbins have many good observations on asking amiss or asking improperly, and give examples of different kinds of this sort of prayer; the phrase is Jewish and would naturally occur to St. James in writing on this subject. Whether the lusting of which St. James speaks were their desire to make proselytes, in order that they might increase their power and influence by means of such, or whether it were a desire to cast off the Roman yoke, and become independent; the motive and the object were the same, and the prayers were such as God could not hear.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:3: Ye ask, and receive not - That is, some of you ask, or you ask on some occasions. Though seeking in general what you desire by strife, and without regard to the rights of others, yet you sometimes pray. It is not uncommon for men who go to war to pray, or to procure the services of a chaplain to pray for them. It sometimes happens that the covetous and the quarrelsome; that those who live to wrong others, and who are fond of litigation, pray. Such men may be professors of religion. They keep up a form of worship in their families. They pray for success in their worldly engagements, though those engagements are all based on covetousness. Instead of seeking property that they may glorify God, and do good; that they may relieve the poor and distressed; that they may be the patrons of learning, philanthropy, and religion, they do it that they may live in splendor, and be able to pamper their lusts. It is not indeed very common that persons with such ends and aims of life pray, but they sometimes do it; for, alas! there are many professors of religion who have no higher aims than these, and not a few such professors feel that consistency demands that they should observe some form of prayer. If such persons do not receive what they ask for, if they are not prospered in their plans, they should not set it down as evidence that God does not hear prayer, but as evidence that their prayers are offered for improper objects, or with improper motives.
Because ye ask amiss - Ye do it with a view to self-indulgence and carnal gratification.
That you may consume it upon your lusts - Margin, "pleasures." This is the same word which is used in Jam 4:1, and rendered lusts. The reference is to sensual gratifications, and the word would include all that comes under the name of sensual pleasure, or carnal appetite. It was not that they might have a decent and comfortable living, which would not be improper to desire, but that they might have the means of luxurious dress and living; perhaps the means of gross sensual gratifications. Prayers offered that we may have the means of sensuality and voluptuousness, we have no reason to suppose God will answer, for he has not promised to hear such prayers; and it becomes every one who prays for worldly prosperity, and for success in business, to examine his motives with the closest scrutiny. Nowhere is deception more likely to creep in than into such prayers; nowhere are we more likely to be mistaken in regard to our real motives, than when we go before God and ask for success in our worldly employments.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:3: and: Jam 1:6, Jam 1:7; Job 27:8-10, Job 35:12; Psa 18:41, Psa 66:18, Psa 66:19; Pro 1:28, Pro 15:8; Pro 21:13, Pro 21:27; Isa 1:15, Isa 1:16; Jer 11:11, Jer 11:14, Jer 14:12; Mic 3:4; Zac 7:13; Mat 20:22; Mar 10:38; Jo1 3:22, Jo1 5:14
ye may: Luk 15:13, Luk 15:30, Luk 16:1, Luk 16:2
lusts: or, pleasures, Jam 4:1
John Gill
4:3 Ye ask, and receive not,.... Some there were that did ask of God the blessings of his goodness and providence, and yet these were not bestowed on them; the reason was,
because ye ask amiss; not in the faith of a divine promise; nor with thankfulness for past mercies; nor with submission to the will of God; nor with a right end, to do good to others, and to make use of what might be bestowed, for the honour of God, and the interest of Christ: but
that ye may consume it upon your lusts; indulge to intemperance and luxury; as the man that had much goods laid up for many years did, to the neglect of his own soul, Lk 12:19 or the rich man, who spent all upon his back and his belly, and took no notice of Lazarus at his gate; Lk 16:19.
John Wesley
4:3 But if ye do ask, ye receive not, because ye ask amiss - That is, from a wrong motive.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:3 Some of them are supposed to say in objection, But we do "ask" (pray); compare Jas 4:2. James replies, It is not enough to ask for good things, but we must ask with a good spirit and intention. "Ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it (your object of prayer) upon (literally, 'in') your lusts (literally, 'pleasures')"; not that ye may have the things you need for the service of God. Contrast Jas 1:5 with Mt 6:31-32. If ye prayed aright, all your proper wants would be supplied; the improper cravings which produce "wars and fightings" would then cease. Even believers' prayers are often best answered when their desires are most opposed.
4:44:4: Շնացօղք՝ ոչ գիտէք՝ զի սէր աշխարհիս այսորիկ թշնամութի՛ւն է առ Աստուած. զի որ ոք կամիցի սիրել զաշխարհ, թշնամի՛ առնէ զանձն իւր Աստուծոյ[2953]։ [2953] Յոմանս պակասի. Աշխարհիս այսորիկ թշնամութիւն է յԱստուած... զանձն իւր Աստուծոյ։
4 Շնացողնե՛ր, չգիտէ՞ք, որ սէրը այս աշխարհի հանդէպ՝ թշնամութիւն է Աստծու դէմ, քանի որ, ով ուզում է աշխարհը սիրել, Աստծուն իրեն թշնամի կ’անի:
4 Շնա՛ցողներ, չէ՞ք գիտեր թէ այս աշխարհին սէրը Աստուծոյ դէմ թշնամութիւն է. ուստի ով որ կ’ուզէ աշխարհին բարեկամ ըլլալ, ինքզինք Աստուծոյ թշնամի կ’ընէ։
Շնացողք, ո՞չ գիտէք զի սէր աշխարհիս թշնամութիւն է առ Աստուած. զի որ ոք կամիցի սիրել զաշխարհ, թշնամի առնէ զանձն Աստուծոյ:

4:4: Շնացօղք՝ ոչ գիտէք՝ զի սէր աշխարհիս այսորիկ թշնամութի՛ւն է առ Աստուած. զի որ ոք կամիցի սիրել զաշխարհ, թշնամի՛ առնէ զանձն իւր Աստուծոյ[2953]։
[2953] Յոմանս պակասի. Աշխարհիս այսորիկ թշնամութիւն է յԱստուած... զանձն իւր Աստուծոյ։
4 Շնացողնե՛ր, չգիտէ՞ք, որ սէրը այս աշխարհի հանդէպ՝ թշնամութիւն է Աստծու դէմ, քանի որ, ով ուզում է աշխարհը սիրել, Աստծուն իրեն թշնամի կ’անի:
4 Շնա՛ցողներ, չէ՞ք գիտեր թէ այս աշխարհին սէրը Աստուծոյ դէմ թշնամութիւն է. ուստի ով որ կ’ուզէ աշխարհին բարեկամ ըլլալ, ինքզինք Աստուծոյ թշնամի կ’ընէ։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:44: Прелюбодеи и прелюбодейцы! не знаете ли, что дружба с миром есть вражда против Бога? Итак, кто хочет быть другом миру, тот становится врагом Богу.
4:4  μοιχαλίδες, οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν; ὃς ἐὰν οὗν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσταται.
4:4. μοιχαλίδες, (Adulteresses,"οὐκ (not) οἴδατε (ye-had-come-to-see) ὅτι (to-which-a-one) ἡ (the-one) φιλία (a-caring-unto) τοῦ (of-the-one) κόσμου (of-a-configuration) ἔχθρα (en-enmitied) τοῦ (of-the-one) θεοῦ (of-a-Deity) ἐστίν; (it-be?"ὃς (Which) ἐὰν (if-ever) οὖν (accordingly) βουληθῇ (it-might-have-been-purposed) φίλος (cared) εἶναι (to-be) τοῦ (of-the-one) κόσμου, (of-a-configuration,"ἐχθρὸς (en-emnitied) τοῦ (of-the-one) θεοῦ (of-a-Deity) καθίσταται. (it-be-stood-down)
4:4. adulteri nescitis quia amicitia huius mundi inimica est Dei quicumque ergo voluerit amicus esse saeculi huius inimicus Dei constituiturAdulterers, know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world becometh an enemy of God.
4. Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.
4:4. You adulterers! Do you not know that the friendship of this world is hostile to God? Therefore, whoever has chosen to be a friend of this world has been made into an enemy of God.
4:4. 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.
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:

4: Прелюбодеи и прелюбодейцы! не знаете ли, что дружба с миром есть вражда против Бога? Итак, кто хочет быть другом миру, тот становится врагом Богу.
4:4  μοιχαλίδες, οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡ φιλία τοῦ κόσμου ἔχθρα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν; ὃς ἐὰν οὗν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσταται.
4:4. adulteri nescitis quia amicitia huius mundi inimica est Dei quicumque ergo voluerit amicus esse saeculi huius inimicus Dei constituitur
Adulterers, know you not that the friendship of this world is the enemy of God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world becometh an enemy of God.
4:4. You adulterers! Do you not know that the friendship of this world is hostile to God? Therefore, whoever has chosen to be a friend of this world has been made into an enemy of God.
4:4. 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.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ gnv▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ tb▾ all ▾
А. П. Лопухин: Tолковая Библия или комментарий на все книги Св.Писания Ветхого и Нового Заветов - 1903-1914
4: В смысле неверности и измены Богу (а не в смысле плотского блудодеяния) Апостол грозно именует читателей прелюбодеями и прелюбодейцами или, по наиболее авторитетным кодексам (Александрийскому, Ватиканскому и Синайскому), только прелюбодейцами, moicalideV. Образ выражения - всецело ветхозаветный, бывший, поэтому, особенно понятным читателям-христианам из евреев. Священные писатели Ветхого Завета, изображая нередко отношения Бога к Израилю под образом брачного союза мужа с женою (Пс XLIV; Иер 1:2; Ос I-III и др.), называют неверность народа Богу, уклонение его к богам иным, прелюбодеянием, а неверных Истинному Богу евреев - прелюбодеями (Ис LVII:2; Ос 1:2: и 4: др.). Перешел этот образ представления и выражения и в Новый Завет (Мф 12:39; 2Кор. 11:2: и др.). "Перешедший из Ветхого Завета в Новый, даже более уместный в Новом Завете, в силу благодатного единения каждой христианской души со Христом, образ мужа и жены должен здесь дать также название moicalideV" (еп. Георгий). Измена Богу состоит в особенной любви к миру, дружбе с миром (h filia ton kosmou), какую проявляют читатели. "Миром" называет здесь всю вещественную жизнь, как матерь тления, приобщающийся которой немедленно становится врагом Бога. Ибо, при рвении к бесполезному, он небрежно и презрительно относится к предметам божественным, каковые отношения мы допускаем к людям ненавистным и враждебным для нас. Taк как, - два предмета, которыми занимаются люди, Бог и мир, - и к каждому из этих двух предметов обращаются с любовью или ненавистью, то коль скоро мы сильно привяжемся к одному, очевидно, явимся нерадящими о другом. Итак, кто прилепится к предметам Божественным, тот есть и называется друг Божий, а кто вознерадел о Боге и возлюбил мир, тот в числе врагов Божиих" (блаж. Феофил.).
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:4: Ye adulterers and adulteresses - The Jews, because of their covenant with God, are represented as being espoused to him; and hence their idolatry, and their iniquity in general, are represented under the notion of adultery. And although they had not since the Babylonish captivity been guilty of idolatry; according to the letter; yet what is intended by idolatry, having their hearts estranged from God, and seeking their portion in this life and out of God, is that of which the Jews were then notoriously guilty. And I rather think that it is in this sense especially that St. James uses the words. "Lo! they that are far from thee shall perish; thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee." But perhaps something more than spiritual adultery is intended. See Jam 4:9.
The friendship of the world - The world was their god; here they committed their spiritual adultery; and they cultivated this friendship in order that they might gain this end.
The word μοιχαλιδες, adulteresses, is wanting in the Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, and one copy of the Itala.
Whosoever - will be a friend of the world - How strange it is that people professing Christianity can suppose that with a worldly spirit, worldly companions, and their lives governed by worldly maxims, they can be in the favor of God, or ever get to the kingdom of heaven! When the world gets into the Church, the Church becomes a painted sepulchre; its spiritual vitality being extinct.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:4: Ye adulterers and adulteresses - These words are frequently used to denote those who are faithless towards God, and are frequently applied to those who forsake God for idols, Hos 3:1; Isa 57:3, Isa 57:7; Ezek. 16; 23. It is not necessary to suppose that the apostle meant that those to whom he wrote were literally guilty of the sins here referred to; but he rather refers to those who were unfaithful to their covenant with God by neglecting their duty to him, and yielding themselves to the indulgence of their own lusts and passions. The idea is, "You have in effect broken your marriage covenant with God by loving the world more than him; and, by the indulgence of your carnal inclinations, you have violated those obligations to self-mortification and self-denial to which you were bound by your religious engagements." To convince them of the evil of this, the apostle shows them what was the true nature of that friendship of the world which they sought. It may be remarked here, that no terms could have been found which would have shown more decidedly the nature of the sin of forgetting the covenant vows of religion for the pleasures of the world, than those which the apostle uses here. It is a deeper crime to be unfaithful to God than to any created being; and it will yet be seen that even the violation of the marriage contract, great as is the sin, is a slight offence compared with unfaithfulness toward God.
Know ye not that the friendship of the world - Compare Jo1 2:15. The term world here is to be understood not of the physical world as God made it, for we could not well speak of the "friendship" of that, but of the community, or people, called "the world," in contradistinction from the people of God. Compare Joh 12:31; Co1 1:20; Co1 3:19; Gal 4:3; Col 2:8. The "friendship of the world" (φιλία τοῦ κόσμου philia tou kosmou) is the love of that world; of the maxims which govern it, the principles which reign there, the ends that are sought, the amusements and gratifications which characterize it as distinguished from the church of God. It consists in setting our hearts on those things; in conforming to them; in making them the object of our pursuit with the same spirit with which they are sought by those who make no pretensions to religion. See the notes at Rom 12:2.
Is enmity with God - Is in fact hostility against God, since that world is arrayed against him. It neither obeys his laws, submits to his claims, nor seeks to honor him. To love that world is, therefore, to be arrayed against God; and the spirit which would lead us to this is, in fact, a spirit of hostility to God.
Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world - "Whoever" he may be, whether in the church or out of it. The fact of being a member of the church makes no difference in this respect, for it is as easy to be a friend of the world in the church as out of it. The phrase "whosoever will" (βούληθῇ boulē thē) implies "purpose, intention, design." It supposes that the heart is set on it; or that there is a deliberate purpose to seek the friendship of the world. It refers to that strong desire which often exists, even among professing Christians, to secure the friendship of the world; to copy its fashions and vanities; to enjoy its pleasures; and to share its pastimes and its friendships. WheRev_er there is a manifested purpose to find our chosen friends and associates there rather than among Christians; wheRev_er there is a greater desire to enjoy the smiles and approbation of the world than there is to enjoy the approbation of God and the blessings of a good conscience; and wheRev_er there is more conscious pain because we have failed to win the applause of the world, or have offended its votaries, and have sunk ourselves in its estimation, than there is because we have neglected our duty to our Saviour, and have lost the enjoyment of religion, there is the clearest proof that the heart wills or desires to be the "friend of the world."
Is the enemy of God - This is a most solemn declaration, and one of fearful import in its bearing on many who are members of the church. It settles the point that anyone, no matter what his professions, who is characteristically a friend of the world, cannot be a true Christian. In regard to the meaning of this important verse, then, it may be remarked:
(1) that there is a sense in which the love of this world, or of the physical universe, is not wrong. That kind of love for it as the work of God, which perceives the evidence of his wisdom and goodness and power in the various objects of beauty, usefulness, and grandeur, spread around us, is not evil. The world as such - the physical structure of the earth, of the mountains, forests flowers, seas, lakes, and vales - is full of illustrations of the divine character, and it cannot be wrong to contemplate those things with interest, or with warm affection toward their Creator.
(2) when that world, however, becomes our portion; when we study it only as a matter of science, without "looking through nature up to nature's God;" when we seek the wealth which it has to confer, or endeavor to appropriate as our supreme portion its lands, its minerals, its fruits; when we are satisfied with what it yields, and when in the possession or pursuit of these things, our thoughts never rise to God; and when we partake of the spirit which rules in the hearts of those who avowedly seek this world as their portion, though we profess religion, then the love of the world becomes evil, and comes in direct conflict with the spirit of true religion.
(3) the statement in this verse is, therefore, one of most fearful import for many professors of religion. There are many in the church who, so far as human judgment can go, are characteristically lovers of the world. This is shown:
(a) by their conformity to it in all in which the world is distinguished from the church as such;
(b) in their seeking the friendship of the world, or their finding their friends there rather than among Christians;
(c) in preferring the amusements of the world to the scenes where spiritually-minded Christians find their chief happiness;
(d) in pursuing the same pleasures that the people of the world do, with the same expense, the same extravagance, the same luxury;
(e) in making their worldly interests the great object of living, and everything else subordinate to that.
This spirit exists in all cases where no worldly interest is sacrificed for religion; where everything that religion peculiarly requires is sacrificed for the world. If this be so, then there are many professing Christians who are the "enemies of God." See the notes at Phi 3:18. They have never known what is true friendship for him, and by their lives they show that they can be ranked only among his foes. It becomes every professing Christian, therefore, to examine himself with the deepest earnestness to determine whether he is characteristically a friend of the world or of God; whether he is living for this life only, or is animated by the high and pure principles of those who are the friends of God. The great Searcher of hearts cannot be deceived, and soon our appropriate place will be assigned us, and our final Judge will determine to which class of the two great divisions of the human family we belong - to those who are the friends of the world, or to those who are the friends of God.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:4: adulterers: Psa 50:18, Psa 73:27; Isa 57:3; Jer 9:2; Hos 3:1; Mat 12:39, Mat 16:4
the friendship: Joh 7:7, Joh 15:19, Joh 15:23, Joh 17:14; Jo1 2:15, Jo1 2:16
enmity: Gen 3:15; Rom 8:7
whosoever: Gal 1:10
is the: Psa 21:8; Luk 19:27; Joh 15:23, Joh 15:24; Rom 5:10
Geneva 1599
4:4 (3) 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.
(3) Another reason why such unbridled lusts and pleasures are utterly to be condemned, that is, because he who gives himself to the world divorces himself from God, and breaks the band of that holy and spiritual marriage.
John Gill
4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses,.... Not who were literally such, but in a figurative and metaphorical sense: as he is an adulterer that removes his affections from his own wife, and sets them upon another woman; and she is an adulteress that loves not her husband, but places her love upon another man; so such men and women are adulterers and adulteresses, who, instead of loving God, whom they ought to love with all their hearts and souls, set their affections upon the world, and the things of it: the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, leave out the word "adulteresses": these the apostle addresses in the following manner;
know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? that an immoderate love for the good things of the world, and a prevailing desire after the evil things of it, and a delight in the company and conversation of the men of the world, and a conformity to, and compliance with, the sinful manners and customs of the world, are so many declarations of war with God, and acts of hostility upon him; and show the enmity of the mind against him, and must be highly displeasing to him, and resented by him:
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God; whoever is in league with the one must be an enemy to the other; God and mammon cannot be loved and served by the same persons, at the same time; the one will be loved, and the other hated; the one will be attended to, and the other neglected: this may be known both from reason and from Scripture, particularly from Mt 6:24.
John Wesley
4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses - Who have broken your faith with God, your rightful spouse. Know ye not that the friendship or love of the world - The desire of the flesh, the desire of the eye, and the pride of life, or courting the favour of worldly men, is enmity against God? Whosoever desireth to be a friend of the world - Whosoever seeks either the happiness or favour of it, does thereby constitute himself an enemy of God; and can he expect to obtain anything of him?
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:4 The oldest manuscripts omit "adulterers and," and read simply, "Ye adulteresses." God is the rightful husband; the men of the world are regarded collectively as one adulteress, and individually as adulteresses.
the world--in so far as the men of it and their motives and acts are aliens to God, for example, its selfish "lusts" (Jas 4:3), and covetous and ambitious "wars and fightings" (Jas 4:1).
enmity--not merely "inimical"; a state of enmity, and that enmity itself. Compare 1Jn 2:15, "love . . . the world . . . the love of the Father."
whosoever . . . will be--The Greek is emphatic, "shall be resolved to be." Whether he succeed or not, if his wish be to be the friend of the world, he renders himself, becomes (so the Greek for "is") by the very fact, "the enemy of God." Contrast "Abraham the friend of God."
4:54:5: Կամ թէ վայրապա՛ր համարիցիք՝ զոր ասէ գիրն առ նախանձ ինչ, որում փափաքէ՛ հոգին՝ որ բնակեաց ՚ի մեզ[2954], [2954] Ոմանք. Զոր ինչ ասէ գի՛ր... հոգի որ բնակեսցէ ՚ի մեզ։
5 Կամ թէ՝ առ ոչինչ էք համարում, ինչ որ Գիրքն ասում է. «Աստուած նախանձախնդրութեամբ պահանջում է այն հոգին, որ բնակեցրեց մեր մէջ»:
5 Կամ թէ կը կարծէք որ գիրքը պարա՞պ տեղ կ’ըսէ. «Նախանձի կը փափաքի մեր մէջ բնակող հոգին*»։
Կամ թէ վայրապա՞ր համարիցիք զոր ասէ Գիրն. [20]Առ նախանձ ինչ որում փափաքէ հոգին`` որ բնակեաց ի մեզ:

4:5: Կամ թէ վայրապա՛ր համարիցիք՝ զոր ասէ գիրն առ նախանձ ինչ, որում փափաքէ՛ հոգին՝ որ բնակեաց ՚ի մեզ[2954],
[2954] Ոմանք. Զոր ինչ ասէ գի՛ր... հոգի որ բնակեսցէ ՚ի մեզ։
5 Կամ թէ՝ առ ոչինչ էք համարում, ինչ որ Գիրքն ասում է. «Աստուած նախանձախնդրութեամբ պահանջում է այն հոգին, որ բնակեցրեց մեր մէջ»:
5 Կամ թէ կը կարծէք որ գիրքը պարա՞պ տեղ կ’ըսէ. «Նախանձի կը փափաքի մեր մէջ բնակող հոգին*»։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:55: Или вы думаете, что напрасно говорит Писание: 'до ревности любит дух, живущий в нас'?
4:5  ἢ δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς ἡ γραφὴ λέγει, πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα ὃ κατῴκισεν ἐν ἡμῖν;
4:5. ἢ (Or) δοκεῖτε (ye-think-unto) ὅτι (to-which-a-one) κενῶς (unto-empty) ἡ (the-one) γραφὴ (a-scribing) λέγει (it-fortheth,"Πρὸς (Toward) φθόνον (to-an-envying) ἐπιποθεῖ (it-yearneth-upon-unto,"τὸ (the-one) πνεῦμα (a-currenting-to,"ὃ (to-which) κατῴκισεν (it-housed-down-to) ἐν (in) ἡμῖν; (unto-us?"
4:5. aut putatis quia inaniter scriptura dicat ad invidiam concupiscit Spiritus qui inhabitat in nobisOr do you think that the scripture saith in vain: To envy doth the spirit covet which dwelleth in you?
5. Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?
4:5. Or do you think that Scripture says in vain: “The spirit which lives within you desires unto envy?”
4:5. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy:

5: Или вы думаете, что напрасно говорит Писание: 'до ревности любит дух, живущий в нас'?
4:5  ἢ δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς ἡ γραφὴ λέγει, πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα ὃ κατῴκισεν ἐν ἡμῖν;
4:5. aut putatis quia inaniter scriptura dicat ad invidiam concupiscit Spiritus qui inhabitat in nobis
Or do you think that the scripture saith in vain: To envy doth the spirit covet which dwelleth in you?
4:5. Or do you think that Scripture says in vain: “The spirit which lives within you desires unto envy?”
4:5. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ gnv▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ tb▾ all ▾
А. П. Лопухин: Tолковая Библия или комментарий на все книги Св.Писания Ветхого и Нового Заветов - 1903-1914
5-6: Желая еще более сказать и доказать читателям совершенную несовместимость любви к Богу с любовью к миру, св. Апостол закрепляет высказанную им (ст. 4) мысль двойною ссылкою на свидетельство Священного Писания Ветхого Завета. Но смысл первой цитаты Апостола представляется толкователям крайне затруднительным и неясным, как вследствие того, что приводимых в ст. 5: слов в качестве свидетельства Писания - в буквальном виде - не имеется во всем Ветхом Завете, так и в силу трудности отдельных слов и целого выражения первой цитаты. Несомненно, однако, что оба стиха 5: и 6: должны утверждать или обосновывать мысль Апостола ст. 4: о взаимно исключающем отношении любви к Богу и привязанности к миру, хотя бы каждый стих делал это с одной определенной стороны. В греческом тексте первая цитата читается так: proV fqonon epipoqei to pneuma d katwkhsen en hmin: к зависти желает дух, иже вселился в нас. Славянское "к зависти желает" неясно; ближе мысль подлинника передает русский перевод: "до ревности любить". Это - о Боге, который ревниво любит дух человека, - тот дух, который Он сам вдохнул в человека (Быт 2:7; Еккл 12:7). Последняя мысль сама собою дается, если вместо принятого чтения katwkhsen, вселился, обитает, избрать чтение авторитетнейших кодексов (Синайского, Ватиканского, Александрийского и др.): katwkisen, поселил, вселил (дух в человека).

Буквально такого места в Ветхом Завете не встречается; приведенная цитата есть как бы свод или обобщение нескольких ветхозаветных мест о Боге - Ревнителе (Исх 6:3-7; Исх 20:5; Втор 5:9; Наум 1:1; Зах 8:2), сотворившем дух человека (Быт 2:7; Еккл 12:7) и ревниво требующем служения человека только Богу (Быт 6:3-7). Но мысль и связь текста с предыдущим и последующим ясна. "Бог, любящий человеческого духа, как бы ревнует его к миру, любит его не просто, но с ревностью или до ревности, до ревнивого беспокойства о том, чтобы любимый не прельстился миром и не был увлечен им. И когда любимый, отвращаясь от мира, сам стремится к Богу, то Бог дает ему тем большую благодать, ущедряет его своею благодатью в воздаяние за верность в любви к себе" (еп. Михаил). Упомянутое (ст. 4) Апостолом омирщение многих христиан дало ему повод говорить о ревнивой любви Божией. Далее, в ст. 6, к одной ветхозаветной цитате он присоединяет другую - из Притч 3:34: по чтению LХХ-ти (с заменою лишь слова KurioV, словом qeoV), - доказывающую, в сущности, ту же мысль, что христиане, всецело принадлежащие Богу - Ревнителю, в своей деятельности могут быть то врагами Бога, то Его друзьями, почему Бог первым противится (antitassetai), а последним дает благодать (didwsi carin). Любящий мир или враги Божии названы у Апостола гордыми, поскольку они не хотят знать Бога и Его благ, ищут лишь мирских благ, всецело полагаясь на собственные силы. Напротив, любящие Бога, друзья Божии названы смиренными: вся их надежда на Бога; ища небесных благ, они полагаются только на милость и благодать Божию, имея самое скромное, смиренное понятие о себе. Поэтому и Бог щедро дарует им содействие благодати.
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:5: Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain - This verse is exceedingly obscure. We cannot tell what scripture St. James refers to; many have been produced by learned men as that which he had particularly in view. Some think Gen 6:5 : "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Gen 8:21 : "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." Num 11:29 : "Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake?" and Pro 21:10 : "The soul of the wicked desireth evil." None of these scriptures, nor any others, contain the precise words in this verse; and therefore St. James may probably refer, not to any particular portion, but to the spirit and design of the Scripture in those various places where it speaks against envying, covetousness, worldly associations, etc., etc.
Perhaps the word in this and the two succeeding verses may be well paraphrased thus: "Do ye think that concerning these things the Scripture speaks falsely, or that the Holy Spirit which dwells in us can excite us to envy others instead of being contented with the state in which the providence of God has placed us? Nay, far otherwise; for He gives us more grace to enable us to bear the ills of life, and to lie in deep humility at his feet, knowing that his Holy Spirit has said, Pro 3:34 : God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Seeing these things are so, submit yourselves to God; resist the devil, who would tempt you to envy, and he will flee from you; draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you."
I must leave this sense as the best I can give, without asserting that I have hit the true meaning. There is not a critic in Europe who has considered the passage that has not been puzzled with it. I think the 5th verse should be understood as giving a contrary sense to that in our translation. Every genuine Christian is a habitation of the Holy Ghost, and that Spirit προς φθονον επιποθει, excites strong desires against envy; a man must not suppose that he is a Christian if he have an envious or covetous heart.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:5: Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain - Few passages of the New Testament have given expositors more perplexity than this. The difficulty has arisen from the fact that no such passage as that which seems here to be quoted is found in the Old Testament; and to meet this difficulty, expositors have resorted to various conjectures and solutions. Some have supposed that the passage is spurious, and that it was at first a gloss in the margin, placed there by some transcriber, and was then introduced into the text; some that the apostle quotes from an apocryphal book; some, that he quotes the general spirit of the Old Testament rather than any particular place; some regard it not as a quotation, but read the two members separately, supplying what is necessary to complete the sense, thus: "Do you think that the Scripture speaks in vain, or without a good reason, when it condemns such a worldly temper? No; that you cannot suppose. Do you imagine that the Spirit of God, which dwelleth in us Christians, leads to covetousness, pride, envy? No. On the contrary, to such as follow his guidance and direction, he gives more abundant grace and favor." This is the solution proposed by Benson, and adopted by Bloomfield. But this solution is by no means satisfactory. Two things are clear in regard to the passage:
(1) that James meant to adduce something that was said somewhere, or which could be regarded as a quotation, or as authority in the case, for he uses the formula by which such quotations are made; and,
(2) that he meant to refer, not to an apocryphal book, but to the inspired and canonical Scriptures, for he uses a term ἡ γραφὴ hē graphē - the Scripture) which is everywhere employed to denote the Old Testament, and which is nowhere applied to an apocryphal book, Mat 21:42; Mat 22:29; Mat 26:54, Mat 26:56; Joh 2:22; Joh 5:39; Joh 7:38, Joh 7:42; Joh 10:35, et al. The word is used more than fifty times in the New Testament, and is never applied to any books but those which were regarded by the Jews as inspired, and which constitute now the Old Testament, except in Pe2 3:16, where it refers to the writings of Paul. The difficulty in the case arises from the fact that no such passage as the one here quoted is found in so many words in the Old Testament, nor any of which it can fairly be regarded as a quotation. The only solution of the difficulty which seems to me to be at all satisfactory, is to suppose that the apostle, in the remark made here in the form of a quotation, refers to the Old Testament, but that he had not his eye on any particular passage, and did not mean to quote the words literally, but meant to refer to what was the current teaching or general spirit of the Old Testament; or that he meant to say that this sentiment was found there, and designed himself to embody the sentiment in words, and to put it into a condensed form.
His eye was on envy as at the bottom of many of the contentions and strifes existing on earth, Jam 3:16, and of the spirit of the world which pRev_ailed everywhere, Jam 4:4; and he refers to the general teaching of the Old Testament that the soul is by nature inclined to envy; or that this has a deep lodgement in the heart of man. That truth which was uttered every where in the Scriptures, was not taught "in vain." The abundant facts which existed showing its developement and operation in contentions, and wars, and a worldly spirit, proved that it was deeply imbedded in the human soul. This general truth, that man is prone to envy, or that there is much in our nature which inclines us to it, is abundantly taught in the Old Testament. Ecc 4:4, "I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor." Job 5:2, "wrath killeth, and envy slayeth the silly one." Pro 14:30, "envy is the rottenness of the bones." Pro 27:4, "who is able to stand before envy?" For particular instances of this, and the effects, see Gen 26:14; Gen 30:1; Gen 37:11; Psa 106:16; Psa 73:3. These passages prove that there is a strong propensity in human nature to envy, and it was in accordance with the design of the apostle to show this. The effects of envy to which be himself referred evinced the same thing, and demonstrated that the utterance given to this sentiment in the Old Testament was not "in vain," or was not false, for the records in the Old Testament on the subject found a strong confirmation in the wars and strifes and worldliness of which he was speaking.
Saith in vain - Says falsely;" that is, the testimony thus borne is true. The apostle means that what was said in the Old Testament on the subject found abundant confirmation in the facts which were continually occurring, and especially in those to which he was adverting.
The spirit that dwelleth in us - Many have supposed that the word "spirit" here refers to the Holy Spirit, or the Christian spirit; but in adopting this interpretation they are obliged to render the passage, "the spirit that dwells in us lusteth against envy," or tends to check and suppress it. But this interpretation is forced and unnatural, and one which the Greek will not well bear. The more obvious interpretation is to refer it to our spirit or disposition as we are by nature, and it is equivalent to saying that we are naturally prone to envy.
Lusteth to envy - Strongly tends to envy. The margin is "enviously," but the sense is the same. The idea is, that there is in man a strong inclination to look with dissatisfaction on the superior happiness and prosperity of others; to desire to make what they possess our own; or at any rate to deprive them of it by detraction, by fraud, or by robbery. It is this feeling which leads to calumny, to contentions, to wars, and to that strong worldly ambition which makes us anxious to surpass all others, and which is so hostile to the humble and contented spirit of religion. He who could trace all wars and contentions and worldly plans to their source - all the schemes and purposes of even professed Christians, that do so much to mar their religion and to make them worldly-minded, to their real origin - would be surprised to find how much is to be attributed to envy. We are pained that others are more prosperous than we are; we desire to possess what others have, though we have no right to it; and this leads to the various guilty methods which are pursued to lessen their enjoyment of it, or to obtain it ourselves, or to show that they do not possess as much as they are commonly supposed to. This purpose will be accomplished if we can obtain more than they have; or if we can diminish what they actually possess; or if by any statements to which we can give currency in society, the general impression shall be that they do not possess as much wealth, domestic peace, happiness, or honor, as is commonly supposed - for thus the spirit of envy in our bosoms will be gratified.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:5: the scripture: Joh 7:42, Joh 10:35, Joh 19:37; Rom 9:17; Gal 3:8
The spirit: Gen 4:5, Gen 4:6, Gen 6:5, Gen 8:21, Gen 26:14, Gen 30:1, Gen 37:11; Num 11:29; Psa 37:1, Psa 106:16; Pro 21:10; Ecc 4:4; Isa 11:13; Act 7:9; Rom 1:29; Tit 3:3
to envy: or, enviously
Geneva 1599
4:5 (4) Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
(4) The taking away of an objection: in deed our minds run headlong into these vices, but we ought so much the more diligently take heed of them: whose care and study shall not be in vain, seeing that God resists the stubborn and gives the grace to the modest and humble that surmounts all those vices.
John Gill
4:5 Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain?.... Some think that the apostle refers to a particular passage of Scripture in the Old Testament, and that he took it from Gen 6:3 as some; or from Ex 20:5, as others; or from Deut 7:2 or from Job 5:6 or from Prov 21:10 others think he had in view some text in the New Testament; either Rom 12:2 or Gal 5:17 and some have imagined that he refers to a passage in the apocryphal book:
"For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin.'' (Wisdom 1:4)
and others have been of opinion that it is taken out of some book of Scripture then extant, but now lost, which by no means can be allowed of: the generality of interpreters, who suppose a particular text of Scripture is referred to, fetch it from Num 11:29 but it seems best of all to conclude that the apostle has no regard to any one particular passage of Scripture, in which the following words are expressly had, since no such passage appears; but that his meaning is, the sense of the Scripture everywhere, where it speaks of this matter, is to this purpose: nor does it say this, or any thing else in vain; whatever is written there is to answer some end, as for learning, edification, and comfort, for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness; neither with respect to what is before suggested, that what is asked in a right manner, and for a right end, shall be given; and that the love of the world, and the love of God, are things incompatible; nor with respect to what follows:
the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? that is, the depraved spirit of man, the spirit of an unregenerate man; that as it is prone to every lust, and prompts to every sin, the imagination of the thought of man's heart being evil, and that continually, so it instigates to envy the happiness of others; see Gen 6:5 or this may be put as a distinct question from the other, "does the spirit that dwelleth in us lust to envy?" that is, the Holy Spirit, who dwells in the hearts of his people, as in his temple: the Ethiopic version reads, "the Holy Spirit": and then the sense is, does he lust to envy? no; he lusts against the flesh and the works of it, and envy among the rest; see Gal 5:17 but he does not lust to it, or provoke to it, or put persons upon it; nor does he, as the Arabic version renders it, "desire that we should envy"; he is a spirit of grace; he bestows grace and favours upon men; and is so far from envying, or putting others upon envying any benefit enjoyed by men, that he increases them, adds to them, and enlarges them, as follows.
John Wesley
4:5 Do you think that the scripture saith in vain - Without good ground. St. James seems to refer to many, not any one particular scripture. The spirit of love that dwelleth in all believers lusteth against envy - Gal 5:17; is directly opposite to all those unloving tempers which necessarily flow from the friendship of the world.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:5 in vain--No word of Scripture can be so. The quotation here, as in Eph 5:14, seems to be not so much from a particular passage as one gathered by James under inspiration from the general tenor of such passages in both the Old and New Testaments, as Num 14:29; Prov 21:20; Gal 5:17.
spirit that dwelleth in us--Other manuscripts read, "that God hath made to dwell in us" (namely, at Pentecost). If so translated, "Does the (Holy) Spirit that God hath placed in us lust to (towards) envy" (namely, as ye do in your worldly "wars and fightings")? Certainly not; ye are therefore walking in the flesh, not in the Spirit, while ye thus lust towards, that is, with envy against one another. The friendship of the world tends to breed envy; the Spirit produces very different fruit. ALFORD attributes the epithet "with envy," in the unwarrantable sense of jealously, to the Holy Spirit: "The Spirit jealously desires us for His own." In English Version the sense is, "the (natural) spirit that hath its dwelling in us lusts with (literally, 'to,' or 'towards') envy." Ye lust, and because ye have not what ye lust after (Jas 4:1-2), ye envy your neighbor who has, and so the spirit of envy leads you on to "fight." James also here refers to Jas 3:14, Jas 3:16.
4:64:6: տալ զառաւել շնորհսն. վասն որոյ ասէ. Տէր ամբարտաւանից հակառակ կայ, տայ շնորհս խոնարհաց[2955]։ բգ [2955] Ոմանք. Եւ տայ շնորհս։
6 Եւ այդ նրա համար, որ է՛լ աւելի շնորհ տայ. դրա համար ասում է. «Տէրն ամբարտաւաններին հակառակ է, բայց խոնարհներին շնորհ է տալիս»[22]:[22] Առակներ 3. 34:
6 Սակայն աւելի շնորհք կու տայ. անոր համար կ’ըսէ. «Աստուած ամբարտաւաններուն հակառակ կը կենայ, բայց խոնարհներուն շնորհք կու տայ»։
[21]տալ զառաւել շնորհսն``. վասն որոյ ասէ. Տէր ամբարտաւանից հակառակ կայ, տայ շնորհս խոնարհաց:

4:6: տալ զառաւել շնորհսն. վասն որոյ ասէ. Տէր ամբարտաւանից հակառակ կայ, տայ շնորհս խոնարհաց[2955]։ բգ
[2955] Ոմանք. Եւ տայ շնորհս։
6 Եւ այդ նրա համար, որ է՛լ աւելի շնորհ տայ. դրա համար ասում է. «Տէրն ամբարտաւաններին հակառակ է, բայց խոնարհներին շնորհ է տալիս»[22]:
[22] Առակներ 3. 34:
6 Սակայն աւելի շնորհք կու տայ. անոր համար կ’ըսէ. «Աստուած ամբարտաւաններուն հակառակ կը կենայ, բայց խոնարհներուն շնորհք կու տայ»։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:66: Но тем большую дает благодать; посему и сказано: Бог гордым противится, а смиренным дает благодать.
4:6  μείζονα δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν· διὸ λέγει, ὁ θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν.
4:6. μείζονα (To-more-great) δὲ (moreover) δίδωσιν ( it-giveth ) χάριν : ( to-a-granting ) διὸ (through-which) λέγει (it-fortheth," Ὁ ( The-one ) θεὸς ( a-Deity ) ὑπερηφάνοις ( unto-manifested-over ) ἀντιτάσσεται ( it-ever-a-one-arrangeth ," ταπεινοῖς ( unto-lowed ) δὲ ( moreover ) δίδωσιν ( it-giveth ) χάριν . ( to-a-granting )
4:6. maiorem autem dat gratiam propter quod dicit Deus superbis resistit humilibus autem dat gratiamBut he giveth greater grace. Wherefore he saith: God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
6. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
4:6. But he gives a greater grace. Therefore he says: “God resists the arrogant, but he gives grace to the humble.”
4:6. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble:

6: Но тем большую дает благодать; посему и сказано: Бог гордым противится, а смиренным дает благодать.
4:6  μείζονα δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν· διὸ λέγει, ὁ θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν.
4:6. maiorem autem dat gratiam propter quod dicit Deus superbis resistit humilibus autem dat gratiam
But he giveth greater grace. Wherefore he saith: God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.
4:6. But he gives a greater grace. Therefore he says: “God resists the arrogant, but he gives grace to the humble.”
4:6. But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ all ▾
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:6: But he giveth more grace - Μειζονα χαριν, A greater benefit, than all the goods that the world can bestow; for he gives genuine happiness, and this the world cannot confer. May this be St. James' meaning?
God resisteth the proud - Αντιτασσεται· Sets himself in battle array against him.
Giveth grace unto the humble - The sure way to please God is to submit to the dispensation of his grace and providence; and when a man acknowledges him in all his ways, he will direct all his steps. The covetous man grasps at the shadow, and loses the substance.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:6: But he giveth more grace - The reference here is undoubtedly to God. Some have regarded this clause as a continuation of the quotation in the pRev_ious verse, but it is rather to be considered as a declaration of the apostle himself. The writer had just spoken of envy, and of the crimes which grew out of it. He thought of the wars and commotions of the earth, and of the various lusts which reigned among men. In the contemplation of these things, it seems suddenly to have occurred to him that all were not under the influence of these things; that there were cases where men were restrained, and where a spirit opposite to these things pRev_ailed. Another passage of Scripture struck his mind, containing the truth that there was a class of men to whom God gave grace to restrain these passions, and to subdue these carnal propensities. They were the humble, in contradistinction to the proud; and he states the fact that "God giveth more grace;" that is, that in some instances he confers more grace than in the cases referred to; to some he gives more grace to overcome their evil passions, and to subdue their corrupt inclinations, than he does to others. The meaning may be thus expressed: - "It is true that the natural spirit in man is one that tends to envy, and thus leads to all the sad consequences of envy. But there are instances in which higher grace or favor is conferred; in which these feelings are subdued, and these consequences are pRev_ented. They are not indeed to be found among the proud, whom God always resists; but they are to be found among the meek and the humble. Wherefore submit yourselves to his arrangements; resist the devil; draw nigh to God; purify yourselves, and weep over your past offences, and you shall find that the Lord will lift you up, and bestow his favor upon you," Jam 4:10.
Wherefore he saith - The reference here is to Pro 3:34, "Surely he scorneth the scorners; but he giveth grace unto the lowly." The quotation is made exactly from the Septuagint, which, though not entirely literal, expresses the sense of the Hebrew without essential inaccuracy. This passage is also quoted in Pe1 5:5.
God resisteth the proud - The proud are those who have an inordinate self-esteem; who have a high and unreasonable conceit of their own excellence or importance. This may extend to anything; to beauty, or strength, or attainments, or family, or country, or equipage, or rank, or even religion. A man may be proud of anything that belongs to him, or which can in any way be construed as a part of himself, or as pertaining to him. This does not, of course, apply to a correct estimate of ourselves, or to the mere knowledge that we may excel others. One may know that he has more strength, or higher attainments in learning or in the mechanic arts, or greater wealth than others, and yet have properly no pride in the case. He has only a correct estimate of himself, and he attaches no undue importance to himself on account of it. His heart is not lifted up; he claims no undue deference to himself; he concedes to all others what is their due; and he is humble before God, feeling that all that he has, and is, is nothing in his sight. He is willing to occupy his appropriate place in the sight of God and men, and to be esteemed just as he is. Pride goes beyond this, and gives to a man a degree of self-estimation which is not warranted by anything that he possesses. God looks at things as they are; and hence he abhors and humbles this arrogant claim, Lev 26:19; Job 33:17; Psa 59:12; Pro 8:13; Pro 16:18; Pro 29:13; Isa 23:9; Isa 28:1; Dan 4:37; Zac 10:11. This resistance of pride he shows not only in the explicit declarations of his word, but in the arrangements of his providence and grace:
(1) In his providence, in the Rev_erses and disappointments which occur; in the necessity of abandoning the splendid mansion which we had built, or in disappointing us in some favorite plan by which our pride was to be nurtured and gratified.
(2) in sickness, taking away the beauty and strength on which we had so much valued ourselves, and bring us to the sad condition of a sick bed.
(3) in the grave, bringing us down to corruption and worms. Why should one be proud who will soon become so offensive to his best friends that they will gladly hide him in the grave?
(4) in the plan of salvation he opposes our pride. Not a feature of that plan is fitted to foster pride, but all is adapted to make us humble.
(a) The necessity for the plan - that we are guilty and helpless sinners;
(b) the selection of a Saviour - one who was so poor, and who was so much despised by the world, and who was put to death on a cross;
(c) our entire dependence on him for salvation, with the assurance that we have no merit of our own, and that salvation is all of grace;
(d) the fact that we are brought to embrace it only by the agency of the Holy Spirit, and that if we were left to ourselves we should never have one right thought or holy desire - all this is fitted to humble us, and to bring us low before God. God has done nothing to foster the self-estimation of the human heart; but how much has he done to "stain the pride of all glory? See the notes at Isa 23:9.
But giveth grace unto the humble - The meaning is, that he shows them favor; he bestows upon them the grace needful to secure their salvation. This he does:
(1) because they feel their need of his favor;
(2) because they will welcome his teaching and value his friendship;
(3) because all the arrangements of his grace are adapted only to such a state of mind. You cannot teach one who is so wise that he already supposes he knows enough; you cannot bestow grace on one who has no sense of the need of it. The arrangements of salvation are adapted only to an humble heart.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:6: God: Exo 10:3, Exo 10:4, Exo 15:9, Exo 15:10, Exo 18:11; Sa1 2:3; Job 22:29, Job 40:10-12; Psa 138:6; Pro 3:34, Pro 6:16, Pro 6:17, Pro 29:23; Isa 2:11, Isa 2:12, Isa 2:17, Isa 10:8-14, Isa 16:6, Isa 16:7; Dan 4:37; Dan 5:20-23; Mat 23:12; Luk 1:52, Luk 14:11, Luk 18:14; Pe1 5:5
giveth grace: Ch2 32:26, Ch2 33:12, Ch2 33:19, Ch2 33:23, Ch2 34:27; Job 22:29; Psa 9:12; Pro 15:33, Pro 18:12; Pro 22:4; Isa 57:15
John Gill
4:6 But he giveth more grace,.... The Arabic version adds, "to us"; the Ethiopic version, "to you"; and the Syriac version reads the whole thus; "but our Lord gives more grace to us"; or "greater grace"; than the world can give, whose friendship is courted by men; the least measure of grace, of faith, and hope, and love, and of a spiritual knowledge of Christ, and interest in him, and of peace, joy, and comfort, is more worth than all the world, and everything in it: or greater grace, more favours than the saints are able to ask or think; so Solomon had more favours given him than he could think of asking for: or greater grace, and larger measures of it, even of spiritual light and knowledge, under the Gospel dispensation, than under the former dispensation; or where God bestows gifts qualifying for service and usefulness, and these are made use of and employed for such purposes, he gives more: or this may refer to internal grace wrought by the Spirit of God, in the hearts of his people; more of which he may be said to give, when he causes it to abound, as to its acts and exercises; when faith grows exceedingly, hope revives, and is lively, and abounds through his power and influence, and love to God and Christ, and one another, abounds yet more and more; when there is a growth in every grace, and in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, so that this grace becomes a well of living waters, springing up into eternal life, which at last will have its perfection in glory:
wherefore he saith; either the Spirit that gives more grace, or the Scripture, or God in the Scripture, in Prov 3:34,
God resisteth the proud: or scorns the scorners; he rejects them that trust in themselves that they are righteous, and despise others; that say, Stand by thyself, I am holier than thou; that are proud of themselves, their enjoyments, their gifts, their external righteousness, and holiness, and are full, and rich, and increased with goods, and stand in need of nothing; these he opposes, he sets himself against, he thrusts them away from him, he sends them away empty, and scatters them in the imagination of their own hearts; and in the things in which they deal proudly, he is above them; he sits in the heavens and laughs at them, and frustrates all their schemes:
but he giveth grace unto the humble; who are sensible of their own vileness and meanness, and acknowledge it; who think the meanest of themselves, and the best of others; and do not envy the gifts and graces of God bestowed upon others, but rejoice at them; and ascribe all they have, and are, to the free grace of God; and ingenuously confess the deficiency of their duties, and the insufficiency of their righteousness to justify them before God; and that when they have done all they can, or are assisted to do, they are but unprofitable servants: now to these God gives grace; he not only gives grace at first, to make them humble, but he gives them more grace, or increases what he gives: grace is God's gift; he gives all the grace that is in Christ, and all the blessings of grace that are in the covenant, and all the grace that is in the hearts of his people; as faith, hope, love, repentance, humility, patience, self-denial, resignation to his will, and every degree of spiritual knowledge; and grace is only his gift; men cannot give it to themselves, nor can the best of men give it to others; not godly parents to their children; nor ministers to those to whom they preach; no, nor the angels in heaven; nor is it to be obtained by the works of men: it is a free gift; it is given of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God, to whom, and when, and in what measure he pleases; to which he is not induced by any motives in men, for they have nothing in them to move him to it; and it is given by him absolutely, without conditions, not suspending it till the performance of them; and he gives it cheerfully and not grudgingly, largely, bountifully, and in great abundance.
John Wesley
4:6 But he giveth greater grace - To all who shun those tempers. Therefore it - The scripture. Saith, God resisteth the proud - And pride is the great root of all unkind affections. Prov 3:34
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:6 But--"Nay, rather."
he--God.
giveth more grace--ever increasing grace; the farther ye depart from "envy" [BENGEL].
he saith--The same God who causes His spirit to dwell in believers (Jas 4:5), by the Spirit also speaks in Scripture. The quotation here is probably from Prov 3:34; as probably Prov 21:10 was generally referred to in Jas 4:5. In Hebrew it is "scorneth the scorners," namely, those who think "Scripture speaketh in vain."
resisteth--literally, "setteth Himself in array against"; even as they, like Pharaoh, set themselves against Him. God repays sinners in their own coin. "Pride" is the mother of "envy" (Jas 4:5); it is peculiarly satanic, for by it Satan fell.
the proud--The Greek means in derivation one who shows himself above his fellows, and so lifts himself against God.
the humble--the unenvious, uncovetous, and unambitious as to the world. Contrast Jas 4:4.
4:74:7: Հնազանդեցայք այսուհետեւ Աստուծոյ, եւ կացէ՛ք հակառակ չարախօսին, եւ լիցի փախստակա՛ն առ ՚ի ձէնջ[2956]։ [2956] Բազումք. Հնազանդեցարուք այսուհետեւ։
7 Հնազանդուեցէ՛ք ուրեմն Աստծուն եւ դիմադրեցէ՛ք Սատանային, ու նա կը փախչի ձեզանից:
7 Ուստի հնազանդեցէ՛ք Աստուծոյ։ Սատանային հակառա՛կ կեցէք եւ անիկա ձեզմէ պիտի փախչի։
Հնազանդեցարուք այսուհետեւ Աստուծոյ. եւ կացէք հակառակ չարախօսին, եւ լիցի փախստական առ ի ձէնջ:

4:7: Հնազանդեցայք այսուհետեւ Աստուծոյ, եւ կացէ՛ք հակառակ չարախօսին, եւ լիցի փախստակա՛ն առ ՚ի ձէնջ[2956]։
[2956] Բազումք. Հնազանդեցարուք այսուհետեւ։
7 Հնազանդուեցէ՛ք ուրեմն Աստծուն եւ դիմադրեցէ՛ք Սատանային, ու նա կը փախչի ձեզանից:
7 Ուստի հնազանդեցէ՛ք Աստուծոյ։ Սատանային հակառա՛կ կեցէք եւ անիկա ձեզմէ պիտի փախչի։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:77: Итак покоритесь Богу; противостаньте диаволу, и убежит от вас.
4:7  ὑποτάγητε οὗν τῶ θεῶ· ἀντίστητε δὲ τῶ διαβόλῳ, καὶ φεύξεται ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν·
4:7. Ὑποτάγητε (Ye-should-have-had-been-arranged-under) οὖν (accordingly) τῷ (unto-the-one) θεῷ: (unto-a-Deity) ἀντίστητε (ye-should-have-had-ever-a-one-stood) δὲ (moreover) τῷ (unto-the-one) διαβόλῳ, (unto-casted-through) καὶ (and) φεύξεται ( it-shall-flee ) ἀφ' (off) ὑμῶν: (of-ye)
4:7. subditi igitur estote Deo resistite autem diabolo et fugiet a vobisBe subject therefore to God. But resist the devil: and he will fly from you.
7. Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
4:7. Therefore, be subject to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
4:7. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you:

7: Итак покоритесь Богу; противостаньте диаволу, и убежит от вас.
4:7  ὑποτάγητε οὗν τῶ θεῶ· ἀντίστητε δὲ τῶ διαβόλῳ, καὶ φεύξεται ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν·
4:7. subditi igitur estote Deo resistite autem diabolo et fugiet a vobis
Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil: and he will fly from you.
4:7. Therefore, be subject to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
4:7. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ gnv▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ tb▾ all ▾
А. П. Лопухин: Tолковая Библия или комментарий на все книги Св.Писания Ветхого и Нового Заветов - 1903-1914
7-8: Из доказанной истины, что дружба с миром есть вражда против Бога и влечет за собою лишение величайших и непреходящих благ, св. Апостол делает нравоучительные выводы - наставления нравственного свойства, обращенные к читателям: коль скоро в Боге и единении с Ним заключается величайшее благо, Апостол советует читателям, отложив гордость, покориться Богу, а вместе с тем сопротивляться противоположному, злому началу - диаволу (potaghte t Qe, antisthte tw diabolf). Покорность Богу есть столь великая сила (ср. Мф 4:1-10), что диавол легко побеждается ею и обращается в бегство (feuxetai). По мере отступления диавола от человека приближается к нему Бог; но необходимо, чтобы и сам деятельно, сознательно стремился к приближению к Богу: "приближьтесь к Богу, и приближится к вам" (ст. 8а). Сходства приближения к Богу - внешние и внутренние: внешним образом совершается это приближение через очищение рук (kaqorisate ceiraV), т. е. через удаление всех греховных и оскверняющих человека дел и приобретение чистоты действий (образ взят от левитских ритуальных очищений, символизировавших духовно-нравственное очищение человека, ср. Пс ХVII:21; Ис 1:15-16). Другое средство - очищение сердца (agnisate kardiaV) - имеет более внутренний, более глубокий смысл, поскольку сердце - источник и средоточие всей внутренней жизни человека (Мф 15:19), и очищение сердца есть очищение всего человека (Пс 50:12, 19). Апостол требует, чтобы грешники, оскверненные разными неправедными делами, и двоедушные, колеблющиеся между привязанностью к Богу и любовью к миру, достигали полной чистоты и во внешних действиях, и во внутренних расположениях.
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:7: Submit - to God - Continue to bow to all his decisions, and to all his dispensations.
Resist the devil - He cannot conquer you if you continue to resist. Strong as he is, God never permits him to conquer the man who continues to resist him; he cannot force the human will. He who, in the terrible name of Jesus, opposes even the devil himself, is sure to have a speedy and glorious conquest. He flees from that name, and from his conquering blood.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:7: Submit yourselves therefore to God - That is, in his arrangements for obtaining his favor. Yield to what he has judged necessary for your welfare in the life that is, and your salvation in the life to come. The duty here enjoined is that of entire acquiescence in the arrangements of God, whether in his providence or grace. All these are for our good, and submission to them is required by the spirit of true humility. The object of the command here, and in the succeeding injunctions to particular duties, is to show them how they might obtain the grace which God is willing to bestow, and how they might overcome the evils against which the apostle had been endeavoring to guard them. The true method of doing this is by submitting ourselves in all things to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you - While you yield to God in all things, you are to yield to the devil in none. You are to resist and oppose him in whatever way he may approach you, whether by allurements, by flattering promises, by the fascinations of the world, by temptation, or by threats. See Pe1 5:9. Satan makes his way, and secures his triumphs, rather by art, cunning, deception, and threatenings, than by true courage; and when opposed manfully, he flies. The true way of meeting him is by direct resistance, rather than by argument; by steadfastly refusing to yield in the slightest degree, rather than by a belief that we can either convince him that he is wrong, or can return to virtue when we have gone a certain length in complying with his demands. No one is safe who yields in the least to the suggestions of the tempter; there is no one who is not safe if he does not yield. A man, for example, is always safe from intemperance if he resists all allurements to indulgence in strong drink, and never yields in the slightest degree; no one is certainly safe if he drinks even moderately.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:7: Submit: Sa1 3:18; Sa2 15:26; Kg2 1:13-15; Ch2 30:8, Ch2 33:12, Ch2 33:13; Job 1:21; Job 40:3-5, Job 42:1-6; Psa 32:3-5, Psa 66:3, Psa 68:30; Jer 13:18; Dan 4:25, Dan 4:32, Dan 4:34-37; Mat 11:29; Act 9:6, Act 16:29-31, Act 26:19; Rom 10:3, Rom 14:11; Eph 5:21; Heb 12:9; Pe1 2:13
Resist: Mat 4:3-11; Luk 4:2-13; Eph 4:27, Eph 6:11, Eph 6:12; Pe1 5:8, Pe1 5:9; Rev 12:9-11
Geneva 1599
4:7 (5) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(5) The conclusion: We must set the positive virtues against those vices, and therefore whereas we obeyed the suggestions of the devil, we must submit our minds to God and resist the devil with a certain and assured hope of victory. In short, we must endeavour to come near to God by purity and sincerity of life.
John Gill
4:7 To the will of God, with respect to worldly things, and be content with such things as are enjoyed, and be satisfied with the portion that is allotted; it is right and best for the people of God to leave themselves with him, to choose their inheritance for them, since by all their anxious cares, their striving and struggling, their impatient desires, wars and fightings, as they cannot add one cubit to their stature, so nothing to their worldly substance; and it becomes them to submit to God in all afflictive dispensations of his providence, and be still and know that he is God; as well as to submit to his way and method of salvation by Christ, and particularly to the righteousness of Christ, for justification; and to depend upon him for supplies of grace in the discharge of every duty, and the exercise of every grace:
resist the devil, and he will flee from you; Satan is to be looked upon as an enemy, and to be opposed as such, and to be watched and guarded against; the whole armour of God should be taken and made use of, particularly the weapon of prayer, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and the shield of faith; and also the grace of humility, than which nothing is more opposite to him: he is a proud spirit, and he endeavours to swell men with pride of themselves; and when he has worked them up to such a pitch, he is then master of them, and can manage them as he pleases; but a poor humble believer, with whom God dwells, to whom he gives more grace, and who comes forth not in his own strength, but in the strength of the Lord God, as David against Goliath, and who owns his vileness and sinfulness, and flies to the grace of God, and blood of Christ, Satan knows not what to do with him, he is puzzled, baffled, and confounded; such he leaves, from such he flees; he does not like the power of prayer, nor the strength of faith, nor the sharpness of the twoedged sword, the word of God, nor the humble believer's staff, bag, scrip, and sling.
John Wesley
4:7 Therefore by humbly submitting yourselves to God, resist the devil - The father of pride and envy.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:7 Submit to . . . God--so ye shall be among "the humble," Jas 4:6; also Jas 4:10; 1Pet 5:6.
Resist . . . devil--Under his banner pride and envy are enlisted in the world; resist his temptations to these. Faith, humble prayers, and heavenly wisdom, are the weapons of resistance. The language is taken from warfare. "Submit" as a good soldier puts himself in complete subjection to his captain. "Resist," stand bravely against.
he will flee--Translate, "he shall flee." For it is a promise of God, not a mere assurance from man to man [ALFORD]. He shall flee worsted as he did from Christ.
4:84:8: Մերձեցարո՛ւք առ Աստուած, եւ մերձեսցի՛ առ ձեզ։ Սրբեցէ՛ք զձեռս մե՛ղաւորք, եւ ուղի՛ղ արարէք զսիրտս՝ ե՛րկմիտք[2957]. [2957] Ոմանք. Զձեռս ձեր մեղաւորք։
8 Մօտեցէ՛ք Աստծուն, եւ նա կը մերձենայ ձեզ: Մեղաւորնե՛ր, մաքրեցէ՛ք ձեր ձեռքերը. երկմիտնե՛ր, ուղղեցէ՛ք ձեր սրտերը.
8 Աստուծոյ մօտեցէ՛ք ու անիկա ձեզի պիտի մօտենայ։ Սրբեցէ՛ք ձեռքերնիդ, մե՛ղաւորներ եւ մաքրեցէք սրտերնիդ, ե՛րկմիտներ,
Մերձեցարուք առ Աստուած, եւ մերձեսցի առ ձեզ. սրբեցէք զձեռս, մեղաւորք, եւ ուղիղ արարէք զսիրտս, երկմիտք:

4:8: Մերձեցարո՛ւք առ Աստուած, եւ մերձեսցի՛ առ ձեզ։ Սրբեցէ՛ք զձեռս մե՛ղաւորք, եւ ուղի՛ղ արարէք զսիրտս՝ ե՛րկմիտք[2957].
[2957] Ոմանք. Զձեռս ձեր մեղաւորք։
8 Մօտեցէ՛ք Աստծուն, եւ նա կը մերձենայ ձեզ: Մեղաւորնե՛ր, մաքրեցէ՛ք ձեր ձեռքերը. երկմիտնե՛ր, ուղղեցէ՛ք ձեր սրտերը.
8 Աստուծոյ մօտեցէ՛ք ու անիկա ձեզի պիտի մօտենայ։ Սրբեցէ՛ք ձեռքերնիդ, մե՛ղաւորներ եւ մաքրեցէք սրտերնիդ, ե՛րկմիտներ,
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:88: Приблизьтесь к Богу, и приблизится к вам; очистите руки, грешники, исправьте сердца, двоедушные.
4:8  ἐγγίσατε τῶ θεῶ, καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν. καθαρίσατε χεῖρας, ἁμαρτωλοί, καὶ ἁγνίσατε καρδίας, δίψυχοι.
4:8. ἐγγίσατε (ye-should-have-neared-to) τῷ (unto-the-one) θεῷ, (unto-a-Deity,"καὶ (and) ἐγγίσει (it-shall-neareth-to) ὑμῖν. (unto-ye) καθαρίσατε (Ye-should-have-cleansed-to) χεῖρας, (to-hands," ἁμαρτωλοί , ( Un-adjusted-along ,"καὶ (and) ἁγνίσατε (ye-should-have-purified-to) καρδίας, (to-hearts," δίψυχοι . ( Double-breathed )
4:8. adpropiate Domino et adpropinquabit vobis emundate manus peccatores et purificate corda duplices animoDraw nigh to God: and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.
4:8. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners! And purify your hearts, you duplicitous souls!
4:8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded:

8: Приблизьтесь к Богу, и приблизится к вам; очистите руки, грешники, исправьте сердца, двоедушные.
4:8  ἐγγίσατε τῶ θεῶ, καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν. καθαρίσατε χεῖρας, ἁμαρτωλοί, καὶ ἁγνίσατε καρδίας, δίψυχοι.
4:8. adpropiate Domino et adpropinquabit vobis emundate manus peccatores et purificate corda duplices animo
Draw nigh to God: and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
4:8. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners! And purify your hearts, you duplicitous souls!
4:8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ all ▾
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:8: Draw nigh to God - Approach Him, in the name of Jesus, by faith and prayer, and he will draw nigh to you - he will meet you at your coming. When a soul sets out to seek God, God sets out to meet that soul; so that while we are drawing near to him, he is drawing near to us. The delicacy and beauty of these expressions are, I think, but seldom noted.
Cleanse your hands, ye sinners - This I think to be the beginning of a new address, and to different persons; and should have formed the commencement of a new verse. Let your whole conduct be changed; cease to do evil learn to do well. Washing or cleansing the hands was a token of innocence and purity.
Purify your hearts - Separate yourselves from the world, and consecrate yourselves to God: this is the true notion of sanctification. We have often seen that to sanctify signifies to separate a thing or person from profane or common use, and consecrate it or him to God. This is the true notion of קדש kadash, in Hebrew, and ἁγιαζω in Greek. The person or thing thus consecrated or separated is considered to be holy, and to be God's property; and then God hallows it to himself. There are, therefore, two things implied in a man's sanctification:
1. That he separates himself from evil ways and evil companions, and devotes himself to God.
2. That God separates guilt from his conscience, and sin from his soul, and thus makes him internally and externally holy.
This double sanctification is well expressed in Sohar, Levit. fol. 33, col. 132, on the words, be ye holy, for I the Lord am holy: אותו מלמעלה ארס מקדש עצמו מלמטה מקישין, a man sanctifies himself on the earth, and then he is sanctified from heaven. As a man is a sinner, he must have his hands cleansed from wicked works; as he is double-minded, he must have his heart sanctified. Sanctification belongs to the heart, because of pollution of mind; cleansing belongs to the hands, because of sinful acts. See the note on Jam 1:8, for the signification of double-minded.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:8: Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you - Compare Ch2 15:2. This declaration contains a great and important principle in religion. If we wish the favor of God, we must come to him; nor can we hope for his mercy, unless we approach him and ask him for it. We cannot come literally any nearer to God than we always are, for he is always round about us; but we may come nearer in a spiritual sense. We may address him directly in prayer; we may approach him by meditation on his character; we may draw near to him in the ordinances of religion. We can never hope for his favor while we prefer to remain at a distance from him; none who in fact draw near to him will find him unwilling to bestow on them the blessings which they need.
Cleanse your hands, ye sinners - There may possibly be an allusion here to Isa 1:15-16; "Your hands are full of blood; wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil." The heart is the seat of motives and intentions - that by which we devise anything; the hands, the instruments by which we execute our purposes. The hands here are represented as defiled by blood, or by acts of iniquity. To wash or cleanse the hands was, therefore, emblematic of putting away transgression, Mat 27:24. Compare Deu 21:6; Psa 26:6. The heathen and the Jews were accustomed to wash their hands before they engaged in public worship. The particular idea here is, that in order to obtain the favor of God, it is necessary to put away our sins; to approach him with a desire to be pure and holy. The mere washing of the hands, in itself, could not recommend us to his favor; but that of which the washing of the hands would be an emblem, would be acceptable in his sight. It may be inferred from what is said here that no one can hope for the favor of God who does not abandon his transgressions. The design of the apostle is, evidently, to state one of the conditions on which we can make an acceptable approach to God. It is indispensable that we come with a purpose and desire to wash ourselves from all iniquity, to put away from us all our transgressions. So David said, "I will wash my hands in innocency; so will I compass thine altar. O Lord," Psa 26:6.
("To obtain the favor of God, it is necessary to put away our sins" - is somewhat unguarded phraseology. If the favor of God were not obtained but on this condition, none ever would obtain it. The passage is a strong injunction to holiness and singleness of heart: it does not say, however, that by these we obtain acceptance with God. Of his favor, holiness is the fruit, the effect, and not the cause. The sinner must not think of getting quit of his sins to prepare him for going to God by Jesus; but he must first go to Jesus to prepare for laying aside his sins. Yet in every approach to God, it is true there must be a "desire "to be free from sin; and this doubtless is the view of the commentary; indeed it is so expressed, though some words are objectionable.)
And purify your hearts - That is, do not rest satisfied with a mere external reformation; with putting away your outward transgressions. There must be a deeper work than that; a work which shall reach to the heart, and which shall purify the affections. This agrees with all the requisitions of the Bible, and is in accordance with what must be the nature of religion. If the heart is wrong, nothing can be right. If, while we seek an external reformation, we still give indulgence to the secret corruptions of the heart, it is clear that we can have no true religion.
Ye double-minded - See the notes at Jam 1:8. The apostle here seems to have had his eye on those who were vacillating in their purposes; whose hearts were not decidedly fixed, but who were halting between good and evil. The heart was not right in such persons. It was not settled and determined in favor of religion, but vibrated between that and the world. The proper business of such persons, therefore, was to cleanse the heart from disturbing influences, that it might settle down in unwavering attachment to that which is good.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:8: Draw nigh to God: Gen 18:23; Ch1 28:9; Ch2 15:2; Psa 73:28, Psa 145:18; Isa 29:13, Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7; Hos 6:1, Hos 6:2; Zac 1:3; Mal 3:7; Heb 7:19, Heb 10:22
Cleanse: Job 9:30, Job 16:17, Job 17:9; Psa 18:20, Psa 24:4, Psa 26:6, Psa 73:13; Isa 1:15, Isa 1:16, Isa 13:15; Mat 15:2, Mat 27:24; Ti1 2:8; Pe1 3:21
purify: Psa 51:6, Psa 51:7, Psa 51:10; Jer 4:11; Eze 18:31, Eze 36:25-27; Mat 12:33, Mat 23:25, Mat 23:26; Luk 11:39, Luk 11:40; Act 15:9; Co2 7:1; Pe1 1:22; Jo1 3:3
ye double: Jam 1:8
John Gill
4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you,.... This must be understood consistently with the perfection of God's immensity and omnipresence: the saints draw nigh to God when they present their bodies in his sanctuary; when they tread in his courts, and attend his ordinances; where they always find it good for them to draw nigh unto him; and blessed is the man that approaches to him in faith and fear: they draw nigh to him when they come to the throne of his grace, for grace and mercy to help them; when they draw near to him in prayer with true hearts, and lift them up with their hands to God; when in the exercise of faith and hope they enter within the vail, and come up even to his seat; and lay hold on him as their covenant God and Father; and he draws nigh to them by granting them his gracious presence, by communicating his love to them, by applying the blessings of his grace, by helping them in times of need and distress, and by protecting them from their enemies; the contrary to which is expressed by standing afar off from them. Now this is not to be understood as if men could first draw nigh to God, before he draws nigh to them; for as God first loves, so he first moves; he takes the first step, and, in conversion, turns and draws men to himself; though this does not respect first conversion, but after acts in consequence of it; nor is it to be considered as a condition of the grace and favour of God, in drawing nigh to his people, but is expressive of what is their duty, and an encouragement to it:
cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded; the persons addressed are not the profane men of the world, but sinners in Zion, formal professors, hypocritical persons; who speak with a double tongue to men, and who draw nigh to God with their mouths, but not with their hearts; who halt between two opinions, and are unstable in all their ways: cleansing of their hands and hearts denotes the purity of outward conversation, and of the inward affections; and supposes impurity both of flesh and spirit, that the body and all its members, the soul and all its powers and faculties, are unclean; and yet not that men have a power to cleanse themselves, either from the filth of an external conversation, or from inward pollution of the heart; though a man attempts the one, he fails in it; and who can say he has done the other? Job 9:30. This is not to be done by ceremonial ablutions, moral services, or evangelical ordinances; this is God's work only, as appears from his promises to cleanse his people from their sins, by sprinkling clean water upon them; from the end of Christ's shedding his blood, and the efficacy of it; and from the prayers of the saints, that God would wash them thoroughly from their iniquity, and cleanse them from their sin, and create clean hearts in them: and yet such exhortations are not in vain, since they may be useful to convince men of their pollution, who are pure in their own eyes, as these hypocritical, nominal professors, might be; and to bring them to a sense of their inability to cleanse themselves, and of the necessity of being cleansed elsewhere; and to lead them to inquire after the proper means of cleansing, and so to the fountain of Christ's blood, which only cleanses from all sin.
John Wesley
4:8 Then draw nigh to God in prayer, and he will draw nigh unto you, will hear you; which that nothing may hinder, cleanse your hands - Cease from doing evil. And purify your hearts - From all spiritual adultery. Be no more double minded, vainly endeavouring to serve both God and mammon.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:8 Draw nigh to God--So "cleave unto Him," Deut 30:20, namely, by prayerfully (Jas 4:2-3) "resisting Satan," who would oppose our access to God.
he will draw nigh--propitious.
Cleanse . . . hands--the outward instruments of action. None but the clean-handed can ascend into the hill of the Lord (justified through Christ, who alone was perfectly so, and as such "ascended" thither).
purify . . . hearts--literally "make chaste" of your spiritual adultery (Jas 4:4, that is, worldliness) "your hearts": the inward source of all impurity.
double-minded--divided between God and the world. The "double-minded" is at fault in heart; the sinner in his hands likewise.
4:94:9: տառապեցարո՛ւք, սգացարո՛ւք, եւ լացէ՛ք. ծաղր ձեր ՚ի սո՛ւգ դարձցի, եւ ուրախութիւն ձեր ՚ի տրտմութիւն։
9 տառապեցէ՛ք, սգացէ՛ք եւ լացէ՛ք. ձեր ծիծաղը սուգի թող վերածուի, եւ ձեր ուրախութիւնը՝ տրտմութեան:
9 Տառապանք քաշեցէ՛ք, սուգ ըրէ՛ք ու լացէ՛ք. ձեր ծիծաղը սուգի դառնայ ու ձեր ուրախութիւնը՝ տրտմութեան։
տառապեցարուք, սգացարուք եւ լացէք. ծաղր ձեր ի սուգ դարձցի, եւ ուրախութիւն ձեր` ի տրտմութիւն:

4:9: տառապեցարո՛ւք, սգացարո՛ւք, եւ լացէ՛ք. ծաղր ձեր ՚ի սո՛ւգ դարձցի, եւ ուրախութիւն ձեր ՚ի տրտմութիւն։
9 տառապեցէ՛ք, սգացէ՛ք եւ լացէ՛ք. ձեր ծիծաղը սուգի թող վերածուի, եւ ձեր ուրախութիւնը՝ տրտմութեան:
9 Տառապանք քաշեցէ՛ք, սուգ ըրէ՛ք ու լացէ՛ք. ձեր ծիծաղը սուգի դառնայ ու ձեր ուրախութիւնը՝ տրտմութեան։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:99: Сокрушайтесь, плачьте и рыдайте; смех ваш да обратится в плач, и радость--в печаль.
4:9  ταλαιπωρήσατε καὶ πενθήσατε καὶ κλαύσατε· ὁ γέλως ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος μετατραπήτω καὶ ἡ χαρὰ εἰς κατήφειαν.
4:9. ταλαιπωρήσατε (Ye-should-have-wretchedly-calloused-unto) καὶ (and) πενθήσατε (ye-should-have-mourned-unto) καὶ (and) κλαύσατε: (ye-should-have-sobbed) ὁ (the-one) γέλως (a-laughter) ὑμῶν (of-ye) εἰς (into) πένθος (to-a-mourning) μετατραπήτω (it-should-have-had-been-turned-with) καὶ (and) ἡ (the-one) χαρὰ (a-joy) εἰς (into) κατήφειαν: (to-a-showing-down-of)
4:9. miseri estote et lugete et plorate risus vester in luctum convertatur et gaudium in maeroremBe afflicted and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into sorrow.
9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
4:9. Be afflicted: mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your gladness into sorrow.
4:9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness:

9: Сокрушайтесь, плачьте и рыдайте; смех ваш да обратится в плач, и радость--в печаль.
4:9  ταλαιπωρήσατε καὶ πενθήσατε καὶ κλαύσατε· ὁ γέλως ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος μετατραπήτω καὶ ἡ χαρὰ εἰς κατήφειαν.
4:9. miseri estote et lugete et plorate risus vester in luctum convertatur et gaudium in maerorem
Be afflicted and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into sorrow.
4:9. Be afflicted: mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your gladness into sorrow.
4:9. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ gnv▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ tb▾ all ▾
А. П. Лопухин: Tолковая Библия или комментарий на все книги Св.Писания Ветхого и Нового Заветов - 1903-1914
9-10: Всецелое нравственное исправление людей не может быть осуществлено без покаяния, и Апостол убедительно призывает читателей к покаянному плачу и трауру, как неизбежному предварительному условию нравственного исправления: сокрушайтесь, плачьте и рыдайте, и проч. (ст. 9). Но душу, корень или основу покаяния и исправления составляет смирение, из которого одного может последовать раскаяние и обновление жизни, приводящее человека к возвышению: смиритесь пред Господом, и вознесет вас (ст. 10), учит Апостол, согласно с Господом Иисусом Христом (Мф 23:12: Лк ХIV; Лк 18:14), "как из зерна, брошенного в землю, вырастает прекрасное растение, так из смирения, из смешения себя с прахом, вырастает чудное дерево христианских добродетелей. Это произрастение совершается при помощи благодати Божией (IV:6), почему и сказано: "и вознесет вы" (еп. Георгий).
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:9: Be afflicted, and mourn - Without true and deep repentance ye cannot expect the mercy of God.
Let your laughter be turned to mourning - It appears most evidently that many of those to whom St. James addressed this epistle had lived a very irregular and dissolute life. He had already spoken of their lust, and pleasures, and he had called them adulterers and adulteresses; and perhaps they were so in the grossest sense of the words. He speaks here of their laughter and their joy; and all the terms taken together show that a dissolute life is intended. What a strange view must he have of the nature of primitive Christianity, who can suppose that these words can possibly have been addressed to people professing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who were few in number, without wealth or consequence, and were persecuted and oppressed both by their brethren the Jews and by the Romans!
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:9: Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep - That is, evidently, on account of your sins. The sins to which the apostle refers are those which he had specified in the pRev_ious part of the chapter, and which he had spoken of as so evil in their nature, and so dangerous in their tendency. The word rendered "be afflicted" means, properly, to endure toil or hardship; then to endure affliction or distress; and here means, that they were to afflict themselves - that is, they were to feel distressed and sad on account of their transgressions. Compare Ezr 8:21. The other words in this clause are those which are expressive of deep grief or sorrow. The language here used shows that the apostle supposed that it was possible that those who had done wrong should voluntarily feel sorrow for it, and that, therefore, it was proper to call upon them to do it.
(All who feel true sorrow for sin, do so voluntarily; but it is not intended by this assertion to insinuate that repentance is not the work of the Spirit. He operates on men without destroying their freedom, or doing violence to their will: "in the day of his power they are willing." Nor is it improper to call on men to do that for which they require the Spirit's aid. That aid is not withheld in the hour of need; and everywhere the Bible commands sinners to believe and repent.)
Let your laughter be turned to mourning - It would seem that the persons referred to, instead of suitable sorrow and humiliation on account of sin, gave themselves to joyousness, mirth, and Rev_elry. See a similar instance in Isa 22:12-13. It is often the case, that those for whom the deep sorrows of repentance would be peculiarly appropriate, give themselves to mirth and vanity. The apostle here says that such mirth did not become them. Sorrow, deep and unfeigned, was appropriate on account of their sins, and the sound of laughter and of Rev_elry should be changed to notes of lamentation. To how many of the assemblies of the vain, the gay, and the dissipated, might the exhortation in this passage with propriety be now addressed!
Your joy to heaviness - The word here rendered heaviness occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means dejection, sorrow. It is not gloom, melancholy, or moroseness, but it is sorrow on account of sin. God has so made us that we should feel sorrow when we are conscious that we have done wrong, and it is appropriate that we should do so.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:9: afflicted: Jam 5:1, Jam 5:2; Psa 119:67, Psa 119:71, Psa 119:136, Psa 126:5, Psa 126:6; Ecc 7:2-5; Isa 22:12, Isa 22:13; Jer 31:9, Jer 31:13, Jer 31:18-20; Eze 7:16, Eze 16:63; Zac 12:10-14; Mat 5:4; Luk 6:21; Co2 7:10, Co2 7:11
let: Job 30:31; Pro 14:13; Ecc 2:2, Ecc 7:6; Lam 5:15; Luk 6:25, Luk 16:25; Rev 18:7, Rev 18:8
Geneva 1599
4:9 (6) Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to (a) heaviness.
(6) He goes on in the same comparison of opposites, and contrasts those profane joys with an earnest sorrow of mind, and pride and arrogancy with holy modesty.
(a) By this word the Greeks mean a heaviness joined with shamefacedness, which is to be seen in a cast down countenance, and settled as it were upon the ground.
John Gill
4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep,.... Not in a bare external way; not by afflicting the body with fastings and scourgings, by renting of garments, and clothing with sackcloth, and putting ashes on the head, and other such outward methods of humiliation; but afflicting the soul is meant, an inward mourning and weeping over the plague of the heart, the impurity of nature, and the various sins of life; after a godly sort, and because contrary to a God of infinite love and grace; in an evangelical way, looking to Jesus, and being affected with the pardoning grace and love of God in Christ.
Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness; meaning their carnal joy, on account of their friendship with the world, and their enjoyment of the things of it, since they consumed them on their lusts, and which betrayed enmity to God.
John Wesley
4:9 Be afflicted - For your past unfaithfulness to God.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:9 Be afflicted--literally, "Endure misery," that is, mourn over your wretchedness through sin. Repent with deep sorrow instead of your present laughter. A blessed mourning. Contrast Is 22:12-13; Lk 6:25. James does not add here, as in Jas 5:1, "howl," where he foretells the doom of the impenitent at the coming destruction of Jerusalem.
heaviness--literally, "falling of the countenance," casting down of the eyes.
4:104:10: Խոնարհեցարո՛ւք առաջի Տեառն՝ եւ բարձրացուսցէ՛ զձեզ։
10 Խոնա՛րհ եղէք Տիրոջ առաջ, եւ նա ձեզ կը բարձրացնի:
10 Տէրոջը առջեւ խոնարհեցէ՛ք ու ան ձեզ պիտի բարձրացնէ։
Խոնարհեցարուք առաջի Տեառն եւ բարձրացուսցէ զձեզ:

4:10: Խոնարհեցարո՛ւք առաջի Տեառն՝ եւ բարձրացուսցէ՛ զձեզ։
10 Խոնա՛րհ եղէք Տիրոջ առաջ, եւ նա ձեզ կը բարձրացնի:
10 Տէրոջը առջեւ խոնարհեցէ՛ք ու ան ձեզ պիտի բարձրացնէ։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:1010: Смиритесь пред Господом, и вознесет вас.
4:10  ταπεινώθητε ἐνώπιον κυρίου, καὶ ὑψώσει ὑμᾶς.
4:10. ταπεινώθητε (ye-should-have-been-en-lowed) ἐνώπιον (in-looked) Κυρίου, (of-Authority-belonged,"καὶ (and) ὑψώσει (it-shall-en-over) ὑμᾶς. (to-ye)
4:10. humiliamini in conspectu Domini et exaltabit vosBe humbled in the sight of the Lord: and he will exalt you.
10. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.
4:10. Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.
4:10. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up:

10: Смиритесь пред Господом, и вознесет вас.
4:10  ταπεινώθητε ἐνώπιον κυρίου, καὶ ὑψώσει ὑμᾶς.
4:10. humiliamini in conspectu Domini et exaltabit vos
Be humbled in the sight of the Lord: and he will exalt you.
4:10. Be humbled in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.
4:10. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jg▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ all ▾
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord - In Jam 4:7 they were exhorted to submit to God; here they are exhorted to humble themselves in his sight. Submission to God's authority will precede humiliation of soul, and genuine repentance is performed as in the sight of God; for when a sinner is truly awakened to a sense of his guilt and danger, he seems to see, whithersoever he turns, the face of a justly incensed God turned against him.
He shall lift you up - Mourners and penitents lay on the ground, and rolled themselves in the dust. When comforted and pardoned, they arose from the earth, shook themselves from the dust, and clothed themselves in their better garments. God promises to raise these from the dust, when sufficiently humbled.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord - Compare Mat 23:12. See the notes at Jam 4:6. That is, be willing to take your appropriate place in the dust on account of your transgressions. This is to be "in the sight of the Lord," or before him. Our sins have been committed against him; and their principal aggravation, whoever may have been wronged by them, and great as is their criminality in other respects, arises from that consideration. Psa 51:4, "against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight." Luk 15:18, "I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee." As the Being against whom we have sinned is the only one who can pardon, it is proper that we should humble ourselves before him with penitent confession.
And he shall lift you up - He will exalt you from the condition of a broken-hearted penitent to that of a forgiven child; will wipe away your tears, remove the sadness of your heart, fill you with joy, and clothe you with the garments of salvation. This declaration is in accordance with all the promises in the Bible, and with all the facts which occur on the earth, that God is willing to show mercy to the humble and contrite, and to receive those who are truly penitent into his favor. Compare Luk 15:22.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:10: Humble: Jam 4:6, Jam 4:7
he: Sa1 2:9; Job 22:29; Psa 27:6, Psa 28:9, Psa 30:1, Psa 113:7, Psa 147:6; Mat 23:12; Luk 14:11, Luk 18:14; Pe1 5:6
John Gill
4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,.... Which is done, when men, before the Lord, and from their hearts, and in the sincerity of their souls, acknowledge their meanness and unworthiness, their vileness, sinfulness, and wretchedness, and implore the grace and mercy of God in Christ, as did Abraham, Jacob, Job, Isaiah, Paul, and the publican; and when they walk humbly with God, acknowledging they can do nothing without him; owning their dependence on his grace, and ascribing all they have, and are, unto it:
and he shall lift you up; this is God's usual way to lift up the meek, and exalt those that humble themselves; he lifts them from the dunghill, to set them among princes; he gives them a place, and a name in his house, better than sons and daughters; he adorns them with his grace; he clothes them with the righteousness of his Son, he grants them nearness to himself; and at last will introduce them into his kingdom and glory.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:10 in the sight of the Lord--as continually in the presence of Him who alone is worthy to be exalted: recognizing His presence in all your ways, the truest incentive to humility. The tree, to grow upwards, must strike its roots deep downwards; so man, to be exalted, must have his mind deep-rooted in humility. In 1Pet 5:6, it is, Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, namely, in His dealings of Providence: a distinct thought from that here.
lift you up--in part in this world, fully in the world to come.
4:114:11: Մի՛ բամբասէք զմիմեանս ե՛ղբարք. որ բամբասէ զեղբայր իւր, կամ դատի զեղբայր իւր, զօրէնսն դատի. իսկ եթէ զօրէնսն դատիցիս, ո՛չ առնելի օրինացն ես՝ այլ դատաւո՛ր[2958]։ [2958] Ոմանք յաւելուն. Բամբասէ զեղբայր իւր, կամ դատի զեղ՛՛... զօրէնսն բամբասէ եւ զօրէնսն դա՛՛։ Ոսկան. Եւ եթէ զօրէնսն... ո՛չ առնօղ օրինացն ես։
11 Եղբայրնե՛ր, միմեանց մի՛ բամբասէ՛ք. ով բամբասում է իր եղբօրը կամ դատում է իր եղբօրը, չարախօսում է օրէնքի մասին եւ դատում է օրէնքը. իսկ եթէ օրէնքն ես դատում, օրէնքը պահող չես, այլ՝ դատաւոր:
11 Մէկզմէկ մի՛ բամբասէք. ան որ իր եղբայրը կը բամբասէ կամ իր եղբայրը կը դատէ, օրէնքը կը բամբասէ եւ օրէնքը կը դատէ։ Եթէ օրէնքը դատես, ա՛լ դուն օրէնքը կատարող չես, հապա դատաւոր։
Մի՛ բամբասէք զմիմեանս, եղբարք. որ բամբասէ զեղբայր իւր կամ դատի զեղբայր իւր` զօրէնսն բամբասէ եւ զօրէնսն դատի. իսկ եթէ զօրէնսն դատիցիս, ոչ առնելի օրինացն ես, այլ` դատաւոր:

4:11: Մի՛ բամբասէք զմիմեանս ե՛ղբարք. որ բամբասէ զեղբայր իւր, կամ դատի զեղբայր իւր, զօրէնսն դատի. իսկ եթէ զօրէնսն դատիցիս, ո՛չ առնելի օրինացն ես՝ այլ դատաւո՛ր[2958]։
[2958] Ոմանք յաւելուն. Բամբասէ զեղբայր իւր, կամ դատի զեղ՛՛... զօրէնսն բամբասէ եւ զօրէնսն դա՛՛։ Ոսկան. Եւ եթէ զօրէնսն... ո՛չ առնօղ օրինացն ես։
11 Եղբայրնե՛ր, միմեանց մի՛ բամբասէ՛ք. ով բամբասում է իր եղբօրը կամ դատում է իր եղբօրը, չարախօսում է օրէնքի մասին եւ դատում է օրէնքը. իսկ եթէ օրէնքն ես դատում, օրէնքը պահող չես, այլ՝ դատաւոր:
11 Մէկզմէկ մի՛ բամբասէք. ան որ իր եղբայրը կը բամբասէ կամ իր եղբայրը կը դատէ, օրէնքը կը բամբասէ եւ օրէնքը կը դատէ։ Եթէ օրէնքը դատես, ա՛լ դուն օրէնքը կատարող չես, հապա դատաւոր։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:1111: Не злословьте друг друга, братия: кто злословит брата или судит брата своего, того злословит закон и судит закон; а если ты судишь закон, то ты не исполнитель закона, но судья.
4:11  μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί· ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ ἢ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καταλαλεῖ νόμου καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου ἀλλὰ κριτής.
4:11. Μὴ (Lest) καταλαλεῖτε (ye-should-speak-down-unto) ἀλλήλων , ( of-one-to-other ," ἀδελφοί : ( Brethrened ) ὁ (the-one) καταλαλῶν (speaking-down-unto) ἀδελφοῦ (of-brethrened) ἢ (or) κρίνων (separating) τὸν (to-the-one) ἀδελφὸν (to-brethrened) αὐτοῦ (of-it) καταλαλεῖ (it-speaketh-down-unto) νόμου (of-a-parcelee) καὶ (and) κρίνει (it-separateth) νόμον: (to-a-parcelee) εἰ (if) δὲ (moreover) νόμον (to-a-parcelee) κρίνεις, (thou-separate,"οὐκ (not) εἶ (thou-be) ποιητὴς (a-doer) νόμου (of-a-parcelee,"ἀλλὰ (other) κριτής. (a-separater)
4:11. nolite detrahere de alterutrum fratres qui detrahit fratri aut qui iudicat fratrem suum detrahit legi et iudicat legem si autem iudicas legem non es factor legis sed iudexDetract not one another, my brethren. He that detracteth his brother, or he that judgeth his brother, detracteth the law and judgeth the law. But if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
11. Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
4:11. Brothers, do not choose to slander one another. Whoever slanders his brother, or whoever judges his brother, slanders the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
4:11. 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.
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:

11: Не злословьте друг друга, братия: кто злословит брата или судит брата своего, того злословит закон и судит закон; а если ты судишь закон, то ты не исполнитель закона, но судья.
4:11  μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί· ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ ἢ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καταλαλεῖ νόμου καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου ἀλλὰ κριτής.
4:11. nolite detrahere de alterutrum fratres qui detrahit fratri aut qui iudicat fratrem suum detrahit legi et iudicat legem si autem iudicas legem non es factor legis sed iudex
Detract not one another, my brethren. He that detracteth his brother, or he that judgeth his brother, detracteth the law and judgeth the law. But if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
4:11. Brothers, do not choose to slander one another. Whoever slanders his brother, or whoever judges his brother, slanders the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.
4:11. 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.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ gnv▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ mh▾ tb▾ all ▾
А. П. Лопухин: Tолковая Библия или комментарий на все книги Св.Писания Ветхого и Нового Заветов - 1903-1914
11-12: Обращаясь теперь к тем же лицам, которых Апостол ранее называл прелюбодеями, грешниками, двоедушными, но с любовным обращением "братия", он предостерегает их от нетерпимого в христианской среде порока злословия и осуждения ближнего (ср. Мф 7:1: сл.). Этот порок недопустим в христианстве уже потому, что он совершенно идет врозь с христианскою добродетелью смирения, о которой только что говорил св. Апостол (ст. 10), и является особенно предосудительным, как скоро простирается на собрата по духу во Христе. Но Апостол идет далее и глубже в анализе и обличении порока злословия и осуждения. Это - очень тяжкое преступление: злословящий и судящий брата христианин, в сущности, злословит и судит самый закон, именно царственный закон любви (Иак 1:25; II:8, 12): злословием и осуждением ближнего христианин не исполняет, а нарушает и самым делом отрицает этот главнейший в христианстве закон; следовательно, как бы судит и осуждает самый этот закон, как бы объявляя его неправым, непригодным к жизни. Тем самым отвергающий закон любви и судящий его как бы становится выше закона и, так сказать, издает свой собственный закон, восхищая через то не принадлежащее ему, а принадлежащее Одному Богу право законодательства и суда. Бог один, как верховный Законодатель, единою Своею волею даровавший закон, и как Судия, праведно судящий по этому закону, конечно, стоит выше закона и есть единственный, в строгом, абсолютном смысле слова, Судия. Такое исключительное право Его свидетельствуется тем, что Он один может спасти и погубить (ст. 12, см. Мф Х, 28). Человек же самым ничтожеством своим выдает отсутствие у него права судить ближнего и закон, и если он делает это, то тяжко согрешает и навлекает на себя осуждение Божие (ср. Рим 2:1: см. 14:4).
Matthew Henry: Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible - 1706
Caution against Slander; Caution against Presumption.A. D. 61.
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? 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.

In this part of the chapter,

I. We are cautioned against the sin of evil-speaking: Speak not evil one of another, brethren, v. 11. The Greek word, katalaleite, signifies speaking any thing that may hurt or injure another; we must not speak evil things of others, though they be true, unless we be called to it, and there be some necessary occasion for the; much less must we report evil things when they are false, or, for aught we know, may be so. Our lips must be guided by the law of kindness, as well as truth and justice. This, which Solomon makes a necessary part of the character of his virtuous woman, that she openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness (Prov. xxxi. 26), must needs be a part of the character of every true Christian. Speak not evil one of another, 1. Because you are brethren. The compellation, as used by the apostle here, carries an argument along with it. Since Christians are brethren, they should not defile nor defame one another. It is required of us that we be tender of the good name of our brethren; where we cannot speak well, we had better say nothing than speak evil; we must not take pleasure in making known the faults of others, divulging things that are secret, merely to expose them, nor in making more of their known faults than really they deserve, and, least of all, in making false stories, and spreading things concerning them of which they are altogether innocent. What is this but to raise the hatred and encourage the persecutions of the world, against those who are engaged in the same interests with ourselves, and therefore with whom we ourselves must stand or fall? "Consider, you are brethren." 2. Because this is to judge the law: He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law. The law of Moses says, Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people, Lev. xix. 16. The law of Christ is, Judge not, that you be not judged, Matt. vii. 1. The sum and substance of both is that men should love one another. A detracting tongue therefore condemns the law of God, and the commandment of Christ, when it is defaming its neighbour. To break God's commandments is in effect to speak evil of them, and to judge them, as if they were too strict, and laid too great a restraint upon us. The Christians to whom James wrote were apt to speak very hard things of one another, because of their differences about indifferent things (such as the observance of meats and days, as appears from Rom. xiv.): "Now," says the apostle, "he who censures and condemns his brother for not agreeing with him in those things which the law of God has left indifferent thereby censures and condemns the law, as if it had done ill in leaving them indifferent. He who quarrels with his brother, and condemns him for the sake of any thing not determined in the word of God, does thereby reflect on that word of God, as if it were not a perfect rule. Let us take heed of judging the law, for the law of the Lord is perfect; if men break the law, leave that to judge them; if they do not break it, let us not judge them." This is a heinous evil, because it is to forget our place, that we ought to be doers of the law, and it is to set up ourselves above it, as if we were to be judges of it. He who is guilty of the sin here cautioned against is not a doer of the law, but a judge; he assumes an office and a place that do not belong to him, and he will be sure to suffer for his presumption in the end. Those who are most ready to set up for judges of the law generally fail most in their obedience to it. 3. Because God, the Lawgiver, has reserved the power of passing the final sentence on men wholly to himself: There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save, and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? v. 12. Princes and states are not excluded, by what is here said, from making laws; nor are subjects at all encouraged to disobey human laws; but God is still to be acknowledged as the supreme Lawgiver, who only can give law to the conscience, and who alone is to be absolutely obeyed. His right to enact laws is incontestable, because he has such a power to enforce them. He is able to save, and to destroy, so as no other can. He has power fully to reward the observance of his laws, and to punish all disobedience; he can save the soul, and make it happy for ever, or he can, after he has killed, cast into hell; and therefore should be feared and obeyed as the great Lawgiver, and all judgment should be committed to him. Since there is one Lawgiver, we may infer that it is not for any man or company of men in the world to pretend to give laws immediately to bind conscience; for that is God's prerogative, which must not be invaded. As the apostle had before warned against being many masters, so here he cautions against being many judges. Let us not prescribe to our brethren, let us not censure and condemn them; it is sufficient that we have the law of God, which is a rule to us all; and therefore we should not set up other rules. Let us not presume to set up our own particular notions and opinions as a rule to all about us; for there is one Lawgiver.

II. We are cautioned against a presumptuous confidence of the continuance of our lives, and against forming projects thereupon with assurance of success, v. 13, 14. The apostle, having reproved those who were judges and condemners of the law, now reproves such as were disregardful of Providence: Go to now, and old way of speaking, designed to engage attention; the Greek word may be rendered, Behold now, or "See, and consider, you 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. Reflect a little on this way of thinking and talking; call yourselves to account for it." Serious reflection on our words and ways would show us many evils that we are apt, through inadvertency, to run into and continue in. There were some who said of old, as too many say still, We will go to such a city, and do this or that, for such a term of time, while all serious regards to the disposals of Providence were neglected. Observe here, 1. How apt worldly and projecting men are to leave God out of their schemes. Where any are set upon earthly things, these have a strange power of engrossing the thoughts of the heart. We should therefore have a care of growing intent or eager in our pursuits after any thing here below. 2. How much of worldly happiness lies in the promises men make to themselves beforehand. Their heads are full of fine visions, as to what they shall do, and be, and enjoy, in some future time, when they can neither be sure of time nor of any of the advantages they promise themselves; therefore observe, 3. How vain a thing it is to look for any thing good in futurity, without the concurrence of Providence. We will go to such a city (say they), perhaps to Antioch, or Damascus, or Alexandria, which were then the great places for traffic; but how could they be sure, when they set out, that they should reach any of these cities? Something might possibly stop their way, or call them elsewhere, or cut the thread of life. Many who have set out on a journey have gone to their long home, and never reached their journey's end. But, suppose they should reach the city they designed, how did they know they should continue there? Something might happen to send them back, or to call them thence, and to shorten their stay. Or suppose they should stay the full time they proposed, yet they could not be certain that they should buy and sell there; perhaps they might lie sick there, or they might not meet with those to trade with them that they expected. Yea, suppose they should go to that city, and continue there a year, and should buy and sell, yet they might not get gain; getting of gain in this world is at best but an uncertain thing, and they might probably make more losing bargains than gainful ones. And then, as to all these particulars, the frailty, shortness, and uncertainty of life, ought to check the vanity and presumptuous confidence of such projectors for futurity: What is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away, v. 14. God that wisely left us in the dark concerning future events, and even concerning the duration of life itself. We know not what shall be on the morrow; we may know what we intend to do and to be, but a thousand things may happen to prevent us. We are not sure of life itself, since it is but as a vapour, something in appearance, but nothing solid nor certain, easily scattered and gone. We can fix the hour and minute of the sun's rising and setting to-morrow, but we cannot fix the certain time of a vapour's being scattered; such is our life: it appears but for a little time, and then vanisheth away; it vanisheth as to this world, but there is a life that will continue in the other world; and, since this life is so uncertain, it concerns us all to prepare and lay up in store for that to come.

III. We are taught to keep up a constant sense of our dependence on the will of God for life, and all the actions and enjoyments of it: You ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that, v. 15. The apostle, having reproved them for what was amiss, now directs them how to be and do better: "You ought to say it in your hearts at all times, and with your tongues upon proper occasions, especially in your constant prayers and devotions, that if the Lord will give leave, and if he will own and bless you, you have such and such designs to accomplish." This must be said, not in a slight, formal, and customary way, but so as to think what we say, and so as to be reverent and serious in what we say. It is good to express ourselves thus when we have to do with others, but it is indispensably requisite that we should say this to ourselves in all that we go about. Syn Theo--with the leave and blessing of God, was used by the Greeks in the beginning of every undertaking. 1. If the Lord will, we shall live. We must remember that our times are not in our own hands, but at the disposal of God; we live as long as God appoints, and in the circumstances God appoints, and therefore must be submissive to him, even as to life itself; and then, 2. If the Lord will, we shall do this or that. All our actions and designs are under the control of Heaven. Our heads may be filled with cares and contrivances. This and the other thing we may propose to do for ourselves, or our families, or our friends; but Providence sometimes breaks all our measures, and throws our schemes into confusion. Therefore both our counsels for action and our conduct in action should be entirely referred to God; all we design and all we do should be with a submissive dependence on God.

IV. We are directed to avoid vain boasting, and to look upon it not only as a weak, but a very evil thing. You rejoice in your boastings; all such rejoicing is evil, v. 16. They promised themselves life and prosperity, and great things in the world, without any just regard to God; and then they boasted of these things. Such is the joy of worldly people, to boast of all their successes, yea, often to boast of their very projects before they know what success they shall have. How common is it for men to boast of things which they have no other title to than what arises from their own vanity and presumption! Such rejoicing (says the apostle) is evil; it is foolish and it is hurtful. For men to boast of worldly things, and of their aspiring projects, when they should be attending to the humbling duties before laid down (in v. 8-10), is a very evil thing. It is a great sin in God's account, it will bring great disappointment upon themselves, and it will prove their destruction in the end. If we rejoice in God that our times are in his hand, that all events are at his disposal, and that he is our God in covenant, this rejoicing is good; the wisdom, power, and providence of God, are then concerned to make all things work together for our good: but, if we rejoice in our own vain confidences and presumptuous boasts, this is evil; it is an evil carefully to be avoided by all wise and good men.

V. We are taught, in the whole of our conduct, to act up to our own convictions, and, whether we have to do with God or men, to see that we never go contrary to our own knowledge (v. 17): To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin; it is aggravated sin; it is sinning with a witness; and it is to have the worst witness against his own conscience. Observe, 1. This stands immediately connected with the plain lesson of saying, If the Lord will, we shall do this or that; they might be ready to say, "This is a very obvious thing; who knows not that we all depend upon almighty God for life, and breath, and all things?" Remember then, if you do know this, whenever you act unsuitably to such a dependence, that to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin, the greater sin. 2. Omissions are sins which will come into judgment, as well as commissions. He that does not the good he knows should be done, as well as he who does the evil he knows should not be done, will be condemned. Let us therefore take care that conscience be rightly informed, and then that it be faithfully and constantly obeyed; for, if our own hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God; but if we say, We see, and do not act suitably to our sight, then our sin remaineth, John ix. 41.
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:11: Speak not evil one of another - Perhaps this exhortation refers to evil speaking, slander, and backbiting in general, the writer having no particular persons in view. It may, however, refer to the contentions among the zealots, and different factions then prevailing among this wretched people, or to their calumnies against those of their brethren who had embraced the Christian faith.
He that speaketh evil of his brother - It was an avowed and very general maxim among the rabbins, that "no one could speak evil of his brother without denying God, and becoming an atheist." They consider detraction as the devil's crime originally: he calumniated God Almighty in the words, "He doth know that in the day in which ye eat of it, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be like God, knowing good and evil;" and therefore insinuated that it was through envy God had prohibited the tree of knowledge.
Speaketh evil of the law - The law condemns all evil speaking and detraction. He who is guilty of these, and allows himself in these vices, in effect judges and condemns the law; i.e. he considers it unworthy to be kept, and that it is no sin to break it.
Thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge - Thou rejectest the law of God, and settest up thy own mischievous conduct as a rule of life; or, by allowing this evil speaking and detraction, dost intimate that the law that condemns them is improper, imperfect, or unjust.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:11: Speak not evil one of another, brethren - It is not known to whom the apostle here particularly refers, nor is it necessary to know. It is probable that among those whom he addressed there were some who were less circumspect in regard to speaking of others than they should be, and perhaps this evil pRev_ailed. There are few communities where such an injunction would not be proper at any time, and few churches where some might not be found to whom the exhortation would be appropriate. Compare the Eph 4:31 note; Pe1 2:1 note. The evil here referred to is that of talking against others - against their actions, their motives, their manner of living, their families, etc. Few things are more common in the world; nothing is more decidedly against the true spirit of religion.
He that speaketh evil of his brother - Referring here probably to Christian brother, or to a fellow Christian. The word may however be used in a larger sense to denote anyone - a brother of the human race. Religion forbids both, and would restrain us from all evil speaking against any human being.
And judgeth his brother - His motives, or his conduct. See the notes at Mat 7:1.
Speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law - Instead of manifesting the feelings of a brother he sets himself up as judge, and not only a judge of his brother, but a judge of the law. The law here referred to is probably the law of Christ, or the rule which all Christians profess to obey. It is that which James elsewhere calls the "law of liberty," (Notes, Jam 1:25) the law which released men from the servitude of the Jewish rites, and gave them liberty to worship God without the restraint and bondage Act 15:10; Gal 4:21-31 implied in that ancient system of worship; and the law by which it was contemplated that they should be free from sin. It is not absolutely certain to what the apostle refers here, but it would seem probable that it is to some course of conduct which one portion of the church felt they were at liberty to follow, but which another portion regarded as wrong, and for which they censured them.
The explanation which will best suit the expressions here used, is that which supposes that it refers to some difference of opinion which existed among Christians, especially among those of Jewish origin, about the binding nature of the Jewish laws, in regard to circumcision, to holy days, to ceremonial observances, to the distinctions of meats, etc. A part regarded the law on these subjects as still binding, another portion supposed that the obligation in regard to these matters had ceased by the introduction of the gospel. Those who regarded the obligation of the Mosaic law as still binding, would of course judge their brethren, and regard them as guilty of a disregard of the law of God by their conduct. We know that differences of opinion on these points gave rise to contentions, and to the formation of parties in the church, and that it required all the wisdom of Paul and of the other apostles to hush the contending elements to peace.
Compare the notes at Col 2:16-18. To some such source of contention the apostle doubtless refers here; and the meaning probably is, that they who held the opinion that all the Jewish ceremonial laws were still binding on Christians, and who judged and condemned their brethren who did not observe them, by such a course judged and condemned "the law of liberty" under which they acted - the law of Christianity that had abolished the ceremonial observances, and released men from their obligation. The judgment which they passed, therefore, was not only on their brethren, but was on that law of Christianity which had given greater liberty of conscience, and which was intended to abolish the obligation of the Jewish ritual. The same thing now occurs when we judge others for a course which their consciences approve, because they do not deem it necessary to comply with all the rules which we think to be binding.
Not a few of the harsh judgments which one class of religionists pronounce on others, are in fact judgments on the laws of Christ. We set up our own standards, or our own interpretations, and then we judge others for not complying with them, when in fact they may be acting only as the law of Christianity, properly understood, would allow them to do. They who set up a claim to a right to judge the conduct of others, should be certain that they understand the nature of religion themselves. It may be presumed, unless there is evidence to the contrary, that others are as conscientious as we are; and it may commonly be supposed that they who differ from us have some reason for what they do, and may be desirous of glorifying their Lord and Master, and that they may possibly be right. It is commonly not safe to judge hastily of a man who has turned his attention to a particular subject, or to suppose that he has no reasons to allege for his opinions or conduct.
But if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge - It is implied here that it is the simple duty of every Christian to obey the law. He is not to assume the office of a judge about its propriety or fitness; but he is to do what he supposes the law to require of him, and is to allow others to do the same. Our business in religion is not to make laws, or to declare what they should have been, or to amend those that are made; it is simply to obey those which are appointed, and to allow others to do the same, as they understand them. It would be well for all individual Christians, and Christian denominations, to learn this, and to imbibe the spirit of charity to which it would prompt.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:11: Speak: Psa 140:11; Eph 4:31; Ti1 3:11; Ti2 3:3; Tit 2:3; Pe1 2:1
and judgeth: Mat 7:1, Mat 7:2; Luk 6:37; Rom 2:1, Rom 14:3, Rom 14:4, Rom 14:10-12; Co1 4:5
speaketh evil of the law: Rom 7:7, Rom 7:12, Rom 7:13
a doer: Jam 1:22, Jam 1:23, Jam 1:25; Rom 2:13
Geneva 1599
4:11 (7) 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.
(7) He reprehends most sharply another double mischief of pride. The one is, in that the proud and arrogant will have other men to live according to their will and pleasure. Therefore they do most arrogantly condemn whatever does not please them: which cannot be done without great injury to our only lawmaker. For through this his laws are found fault with, as not carefully enough written, and men challenge that to themselves which properly belongs to God alone, in that they lay a law upon men's consciences.
John Gill
4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren,.... The apostle here returns to his former subject, concerning the vices of the tongue, he had been upon in the preceding chapter, Jas 3:6, and here mentions one, which professors of religion were too much guilty of, and that is, speaking evil one of another; which is done either by raising false reports, and bringing false charges; or by aggravating failings and infirmities; or by lessening and depreciating characters, and endeavouring to bring others into discredit and disesteem among men: this is a very great evil, and what the men of the world do, and from them it is expected; but for the saints to speak evil one of another, to sit and speak against a brother, and slander an own mother's son, is barbarous and unnatural.
He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; he that is a talebearer and backbites his brother, his fellow member, and detracts from his good name and character, and takes upon him to judge his heart, and his state, as well as, to condemn his actions, he speaks evil of the law; and judges and condemns that, as if that forbid a thing that was lawful, even tale bearing and detraction, Lev 19:16, or by speaking evil of him for a good thing he does, he blames and condemns the law, as though it commanded a thing that was evil; and by passing sentence upon his brother, he takes upon him the province of the law, which is to accuse, charge, convince, pronounce guilty, and condemn:
but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law; as is a duty, and would best become:
but a judge; and so such a person not only infringes the right of the law, but assumes the place of the Judge and lawgiver himself; whereas, as follows,
John Wesley
4:11 Speak not evil one of another - This is a grand hinderance of peace. O who is sufficiently aware of it! He that speaketh evil of another does in effect speak evil of the law, which so strongly prohibits it. Thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge - Of it; thou settest thyself above, and as it were condemnest, it.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:11 Having mentioned sins of the tongue (Jas 3:5-12), he shows here that evil-speaking flows from the same spirit of exalting self at the expense of one's neighbor as caused the "fightings" reprobated in this chapter (Jas 4:1).
Speak not evil--literally, "Speak not against" one another.
brethren--implying the inconsistency of such depreciatory speaking of one another in brethren.
speaketh evil of the law--for the law in commanding, "Love thy neighbor as thyself" (Jas 2:8), virtually condemns evil-speaking and judging [ESTIUS]. Those who superciliously condemn the acts and words of others which do not please themselves, thus aiming at the reputation of sanctity, put their own moroseness in the place of the law, and claim to themselves a power of censuring above the law of God, condemning what the law permits [CALVIN]. Such a one acts as though the law could not perform its own office of judging, but he must fly upon the office [BENGEL]. This is the last mention of the law in the New Testament. ALFORD rightly takes the "law" to be the old moral law applied in its comprehensive spiritual fulness by Christ: "the law of liberty."
if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer . . . but a judge--Setting aside the Christian brotherhood as all alike called to be doers of the law, in subjection to it, such a one arrogates the office of a judge.
4:124:12: Մի է Օրէնսդիր եւ Դատաւոր, որ կարօղն է փրկել եւ կորուսանել.
12 Կայ մէ՛կ Օրէնսդիր եւ Դատաւոր, որ կարող է փրկել եւ կործանել. դու ո՞վ ես, որ դատում ես քո մերձաւորին:
12 Միայն մէկ Օրէնսդիր ու Դատաւոր կայ, որ կարող է փրկել եւ կորսնցնել։ Դուն ո՞վ ես որ ուրիշը կը դատես։
Մի է Օրէնսդիր [22]եւ Դատաւոր``, որ կարօղն է փրկել եւ կորուսանել. դու ո՞ ես որ դատիս զընկերն:

4:12: Մի է Օրէնսդիր եւ Դատաւոր, որ կարօղն է փրկել եւ կորուսանել.
12 Կայ մէ՛կ Օրէնսդիր եւ Դատաւոր, որ կարող է փրկել եւ կործանել. դու ո՞վ ես, որ դատում ես քո մերձաւորին:
12 Միայն մէկ Օրէնսդիր ու Դատաւոր կայ, որ կարող է փրկել եւ կորսնցնել։ Դուն ո՞վ ես որ ուրիշը կը դատես։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:1212: Един Законодатель и Судия, могущий спасти и погубить; а ты кто, который судишь другого?
4:12  εἷς ἐστιν [ὁ] νομοθέτης καὶ κριτής, ὁ δυνάμενος σῶσαι καὶ ἀπολέσαι· σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ, ὁ κρίνων τὸν πλησίον;
4:12. εἷς (One) ἔστιν (it-be) νομοθέτης (a-parcelee-placer) καὶ (and) κριτής, (a-separater,"ὁ (the-one) δυνάμενος ( abling ) σῶσαι (to-have-saved) καὶ (and) ἀπολέσαι: (to-have-destructed-off) σὺ (thou) δὲ (moreover) τίς (what-one) εἶ, (thou-be,"ὁ (the-one) κρίνων (separating) τὸν (to-the-one) πλησίον; (to-nigh-belonged?"
4:12. unus est legislator et iudex qui potest perdere et liberare tu autem quis es qui iudicas proximumThere is one lawgiver and judge, that is able to destroy and to deliver.
12. One is the lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbour?
4:12. There is one lawgiver and one judge. He is able to destroy, and he is able to set free.
4:12. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another:

12: Един Законодатель и Судия, могущий спасти и погубить; а ты кто, который судишь другого?
4:12  εἷς ἐστιν [ὁ] νομοθέτης καὶ κριτής, ὁ δυνάμενος σῶσαι καὶ ἀπολέσαι· σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ, ὁ κρίνων τὸν πλησίον;
4:12. unus est legislator et iudex qui potest perdere et liberare tu autem quis es qui iudicas proximum
There is one lawgiver and judge, that is able to destroy and to deliver.
4:12. There is one lawgiver and one judge. He is able to destroy, and he is able to set free.
4:12. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ all ▾
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:12: There is one lawgiver - Και κριτης, And judge, is added here by AB, about thirty others, with both the Syriac, Erpen's Arabic, the Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Slavonic, Vulgate, two copies of the Itala, Cyril of Antioch, Euthalius, Theophylact, and Cassiodorus. On this evidence Griesbach has received it into the text.
The man who breaks the law, and teaches others so to do, thus in effect set himself up as a lawgiver and judge. But there is only one such lawgiver and judge - God Almighty, who is able to save all those who obey him, and able to destroy all those who trample under feet his testimonies.
Who art thou that judgest another? - Who art thou who darest to usurp the office and prerogative of the supreme Judge? But what is that law of which St. James speaks? and who is this lawgiver and judge? Most critics think that the law mentioned here is the same as that which he elsewhere calls the royal law and the law of liberty, thereby meaning the Gospel; and that Christ is the person who is called the lawgiver and judge. This, however, is not clear to me. I believe James means the Jewish law; and by the lawgiver and judge, God Almighty, as acknowledged by the Jewish people. I find, or think I find, from the closest examination of this epistle, but few references to Jesus Christ or his Gospel. His Jewish creed, forms, and maxims, this writer keeps constantly in view; and it is proper he should, considering the persons to whom he wrote. Some of them were, doubtless, Christians; some of them certainly no Christians; and some of them half Christians and half Jews. The two latter descriptions are those most frequently addressed.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:12: There is one lawgiver - There is but one who has a right to give law. The reference here is undoubtedly to the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Legislator of the church. This, too, is a most important and vital principle, though one that has been most imperfectly understood and acted on. The tendency everywhere has been to enact other laws than those appointed by Christ - the laws of synods and councils - and to claim that Christians are bound to observe them, and should be punished if they do not. But it is a fundamental principle in Christianity that no laws are binding on the conscience, but those which Christ has ordained; and that all attempts to make other laws pertaining to religion binding on the conscience is a usurpation of his prerogatives. The church is safe while it adheres to this as a settled principle; it is not safe when it submits to any legislation in religious matters as binding the conscience.
Who is able to save and to destroy - Compare Mat 10:28. The idea here would seem to be, that he is able to save those whom you condemn, and to destroy you who pronounce a judgment on them. Or, in general, it may mean that he is intrusted with all power, and is abundantly able to administer his government; to restrain where it is necessary to restrain; to save where it is proper to save; to punish where it is just to punish. The whole matter pertaining to judgment, therefore, may be safely left in his hands; and, as he is abundantly qualified for it, we should not usurp his prerogatives.
Who art thou that judgest another? - "Who art thou, a weak and frail and erring mortal, thyself accountable to that Judge, that thou shouldest interfere, and pronounce judgment on another, especially when he is doing only what that Judge permits him to do?" See this sentiment explained at length in the notes at Rom 14:4. Compare the Rom 2:1 note, and Mat 7:1 note. There is nothing more decidedly condemned in the Scriptures than the habit of pronouncing a judgment on the motives and conduct of others. There is nothing in which we are more liable to err, or to indulge in wrong feelings; and there is nothing which God claims more for himself as his peculiar prerogative.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:12: lawgiver: Isa 33:22
able: Mat 10:28; Luk 12:5; Heb 7:25
who: Sa1 25:10; Job 38:2; Rom 2:1, Rom 9:20, Rom 14:4, Rom 14:13
John Gill
4:12 There is one lawgiver,.... The Alexandrian copy, and others, and the Syriac, Ethiopic, and Vulgate Latin versions, add, "and judge". Who is the one only Lord God, Is 33:22. This is a character that may be applied to God the Father, who gave the law to the people of Israel, both the judicial and ceremonial law, and also the moral law; from his right hand went a fiery law, and to him belongs the giving of it; and also to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus who is King of saints, and lawgiver in his house; who has given out commandments to be observed, and laws of discipline for the right ordering of his house, and kingdom, to be regarded; and particularly the new commandment of love, which is eminently called the law of Christ; and which is most apparently broke, by detraction and speaking evil one of another: now there may be inferior and subordinate lawgivers, as Judah is said to be God's lawgiver, and Moses is said to command the Jews a law; yet there is but one supreme, universal, and perfect lawgiver, who is God; and though there may be many lawgivers in things political, whose legislative power is to be obeyed, both for the Lord's sake, and for conscience sake; yet in things religious, and relating to conscience, God is the only lawgiver, who is to be hearkened unto:
who is able to save, and to destroy; this is true of God the Father, who is able to save, and does save by his Son Jesus Christ, and even persons that have broken the law he has given, and are liable to the curse and condemnation of it; and he is able to save them according to that law, in perfect consistence with it, and with his justice and holiness, since Christ, by whom he saves, was made under it, and has fulfilled it; and that Christ is mighty to save, able to save to the uttermost, is certain from the Scripture, and all experience; and God, the lawgiver, is able to destroy both body and soul in hell, for the transgressions of his law; and even Christ the Lamb is also the lion of the tribe of Judah, who will break his enemies in pieces, as a potter's vessel, and punish the contemners of his Gospel with everlasting destruction, from his presence and glory: in a word, God, the lawgiver, is sovereign, and can destroy, or save, whom he pleases; he is able to save the brother that is spoken against, and to destroy him that speaks against him:
who art thou that judgest another? another man's servant, as in Rom 14:4 or "thy neighbour", as the Syriac and Ethiopic versions read; or "the neighbour", as the Alexandrian copy, and the Vulgate Latin version; that is, any brother, friend, or neighbour, in the manner as before observed in the preceding verse.
John Wesley
4:12 There is one lawgiver that is able - To execute the sentence he denounces. But who art thou - A poor, weak, dying worm.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:12 There is one lawgiver--The best authorities read in addition, "and judge." Translate, "There is One (alone) who is (at once) Lawgiver and Judge, (namely) He who is able to save and destroy." Implying, God alone is Lawgiver and therefore Judge, since it is He alone who can execute His judgments; our inability in this respect shows our presumption in trying to act as judges, as though we were God.
who art thou, &c.--The order in the Greek is emphatic, "But (inserted in oldest manuscripts) thou, who art thou that judgest another?" How rashly arrogant in judging thy fellows, and wresting from God the office which belongs to Him over thee and THEM alike!
another--The oldest authorities read, "thy neighbor."
4:134:13: դու ո՞ ես՝ որ դատիս զընկերն։ Ահաւասիկ են որ ասեն. Այսօր եւ վաղիւ երթիցո՛ւք յայս անուն քաղաք, եղիցուք անդ տարի մի, վաճառեսցո՛ւք եւ շահեսցուք[2959].[2959] Ոմանք. Դու ո՞վ ես։ Յօրինակին. Տարիմ մի։
13 Այժմ նրանց մասին, որ ասում են. «Այսօր կամ վաղը կը գնանք այսինչ քաղաքը, մէկ տարի կը մնանք այնտեղ, կը վաճառենք եւ կը վաստակենք»:
13 Հիմա մտի՛կ ըրէք դուք, որ կ’ըսէք. «Այսօր կամ վաղը երթանք այս անուն քաղաքը ու հոն տարի մը կենանք եւ առուտուր ընենք ու վաստկինք».
Ահաւասիկ են որ ասեն. Այսօր եւ վաղիւ երթիցուք յայս անուն քաղաք, եղիցուք անդ տարի մի, վաճառեսցուք եւ շահեսցուք:

4:13: դու ո՞ ես՝ որ դատիս զընկերն։ Ահաւասիկ են որ ասեն. Այսօր եւ վաղիւ երթիցո՛ւք յայս անուն քաղաք, եղիցուք անդ տարի մի, վաճառեսցո՛ւք եւ շահեսցուք[2959].
[2959] Ոմանք. Դու ո՞վ ես։ Յօրինակին. Տարիմ մի։
13 Այժմ նրանց մասին, որ ասում են. «Այսօր կամ վաղը կը գնանք այսինչ քաղաքը, մէկ տարի կը մնանք այնտեղ, կը վաճառենք եւ կը վաստակենք»:
13 Հիմա մտի՛կ ըրէք դուք, որ կ’ըսէք. «Այսօր կամ վաղը երթանք այս անուն քաղաքը ու հոն տարի մը կենանք եւ առուտուր ընենք ու վաստկինք».
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:1313: Теперь послушайте вы, говорящие: 'сегодня или завтра отправимся в такой-то город, и проживем там один год, и будем торговать и получать прибыль';
4:13  ἄγε νῦν οἱ λέγοντες, σήμερον ἢ αὔριον πορευσόμεθα εἰς τήνδε τὴν πόλιν καὶ ποιήσομεν ἐκεῖ ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ ἐμπορευσόμεθα καὶ κερδήσομεν·
4:13. Ἄγε (Thou-should-lead) νῦν (now,"οἱ (the-ones) λέγοντες ( forthing ,"Σήμερον (This-day) ἢ (or) αὔριον (to-morrow) πορευσόμεθα ( we-shall-traverse-of ) εἰς (into) τήνδε (to-the-one-moreover) τὴν (to-the-one) πόλιν (to-a-city) καὶ (and) ποιήσομεν (we-shall-do-unto) ἐκεῖ (thither) ἐνιαυτὸν (to-a-being-in-unto-it) καὶ (and) ἐμπορευσόμεθα ( we-shall-traverse-in-of ) καὶ (and) κερδήσομεν: (we-shall-gain)
4:13. ecce nunc qui dicitis hodie aut crastino ibimus in illam civitatem et faciemus quidem ibi annum et mercabimur et lucrum faciemusBut who art thou that judgest thy neighbour? Behold, now you that say: To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and there we will spend a year and will traffic and make our gain.
13. Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain:
4:13. But who are you to judge your neighbor? Consider this, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into that city, and certainly we will spend a year there, and we will do business, and we will make our profit,”
4:13. 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:
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:

13: Теперь послушайте вы, говорящие: 'сегодня или завтра отправимся в такой-то город, и проживем там один год, и будем торговать и получать прибыль';
4:13  ἄγε νῦν οἱ λέγοντες, σήμερον ἢ αὔριον πορευσόμεθα εἰς τήνδε τὴν πόλιν καὶ ποιήσομεν ἐκεῖ ἐνιαυτὸν καὶ ἐμπορευσόμεθα καὶ κερδήσομεν·
4:13. ecce nunc qui dicitis hodie aut crastino ibimus in illam civitatem et faciemus quidem ibi annum et mercabimur et lucrum faciemus
But who art thou that judgest thy neighbour? Behold, now you that say: To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and there we will spend a year and will traffic and make our gain.
4:13. But who are you to judge your neighbor? Consider this, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into that city, and certainly we will spend a year there, and we will do business, and we will make our profit,”
4:13. 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:
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ gnv▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ tb▾ all ▾
А. П. Лопухин: Tолковая Библия или комментарий на все книги Св.Писания Ветхого и Нового Заветов - 1903-1914
13-16: Не без ассоциации с предыдущим апостол обличает теперь самонадеянность и тщеславие людей, забывающих полную зависимость от Бога всех дел человеческих и самой жизни человеческой и совершенную непрочность, как бы мимолетность последней. В пример этого рода самонадеянных людей берутся торговцы, ремесло которых, очевидно, было распространено среди читателей послания, но вместе с тем лишено было нравственной чистоты: самонадеянность, легкомыслие их и исключительная преданность земным прибыткам и интересам, с забвением о тленности и скоропереходящем характере земной жизни вообще вызвали Апостола на обличения, увещания и предостережения, смысл которых тот же, что смысл притчи Христовой о любостяжательном богаче (Лк 12:16-21). Указывая (ст. 13), сколь неразумно поступают люди, рассуждающие так, как бы жизнь и дела их зависят единственно от них, и как бы нет над ними высшей воли, которая в одно мгновение может в ничто обратить все их предположения и затеи, - Апостол "не уничтожает произволение, но показывает, что не все зависит от самого человека, но нужна и благодать свыше. Ибо можно бегать и торговать, и совершать все нужное для жизни, но не должно приписывать это собственным трудам, а человеколюбию Божию" (блаж. Феофил.). В ст. 14: апостол сильно и в духе ветхозаветных писателей (ср. Иов 8:9; Пс СI:12; CXLIII:4) изображает непрочность человеческого существования, предостерегая читателей и всех вообще христиан от осужденного им выше (ст. 13) неразумного суждения торговцев. "Показывает суетность нашей жизни, и пристыжает нас за то, что всю жизнь проводим в суете, что весь труд наш истощается на провременное зло. То же и Давид говорит: убо образом ходит человек, обаче всуе мятется (Пс 38:7), т. е. суетится над тем, что само в себе не имеет истинного бытия, а является только как бы в призраке" (блаж. Феофил.). Истинный, разумный и религиозный взгляд на предприятия, дела и самую жизнь человека всегда, по ст. 15, должен основываться на верующей мысли: "если угодно будет Господу, и живы будем, то сделаем то или другое". Вышеприведенные же речи торговцев (ст. 13), прямо противоположные этой смиренной преданности воле Божией, очевидно, грешат самоуверенностью, надменностью и в конце концов вытекают из гордости (ст. 16). "Гордость житейская" (ср. 1Ин. 2:16) только может породить в человеке нелепую и опасную мысль, будто он есть полновластный распорядитель своей жизни и своих действий.
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:13: Go to now - Αγε νυν· Come now, the same in meaning as the Hebrew הבה habah, come, Gen 11:3, Gen 11:4, Gen 11:7. Come, and hear what I have to say, ye that say, etc.
To-day, or to-morrow, we will go - This presumption on a precarious life is here well reproved; and the ancient Jewish rabbins have some things on the subject which probably St. James had in view. In Debarim Rabba, sec. 9, fol. 261, 1, we have the following little story; "Our rabbins tell us a story which happened in the days of Rabbi Simeon, the son of Chelpatha. He was present at the circumcision of a child, and stayed with its father to the entertainment. The father brought out wine for his guests that was seven years old, saying, With this wine will I continue for a long time to celebrate the birth of my new-born son. They continued supper till midnight. At that time Rabbi Simeon arose and went out, that he might return to the city in which he dwelt. On the way he saw the angel of death walking up and down. He said to him, Who art thou? He answered, I am the messenger of God. The rabbin said, Why wanderest thou about thus? He answered, I slay those persons who say, We will do this, or that, and think not how soon death may overpower them: that man with whom thou hast supped, and who said to his guests, With this wine will I continue for a long time to celebrate the birth of my new-born son, behold the end of his life is at hand, for he shall die within thirty days." By this parable they teach the necessity of considering the shortness and uncertainty of human life; and that God is particularly displeased with those ...
"Who, counting on long years of pleasure here,
Are quite unfurnished for a world to come."
And continue there a year, and buy and sell - This was the custom of those ancient times; they traded from city to city, carrying their goods on the backs of camels. The Jews traded thus to Tyre, Sidon, Caesarea, Crete, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, Rome, etc. And it is to this kind of itinerant mercantile life that St. James alludes. See at the end of this chapter, (Jam 4:17 (note)).
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:13: Go to now - The apostle here introduces a new subject, and refers to another fault which was doubtless pRev_alent among them, as it is everywhere, that of a presumptuous confidence respecting the future, or of forming plans stretching into the future, without any proper sense of the uncertainty of life, and of our absolute dependence on God. The phrase "go to now," (ἄγε νῦν age nun,) is a phrase designed to arrest attention, as if there were something that demanded their notice, and especially, as in this case, with the implied thought that that to which the attention is called is wrong. See Jam 5:1. Compare Gen 11:7; Isa 1:18.
Ye that say - You that form your plans in this manner or that speak thus confidently of what you will do in the future. The word say here probably refers to what was in their thoughts, rather than to what was openly expressed.
Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city - That is, they say this without any proper sense of the uncertainty of life, and of their absolute dependence on God.
And continue there a year - Fixing a definite time; designating the exact period during which they would remain, and when they would leave, without any reference to the will of God. The apostle undoubtedly means to refer here to this as a mere specimen of what he would reprove. It cannot be supposed that he refers to this single case alone as wrong. All plans are wrong that are formed in the same spirit. "The practice to which the apostle here alludes," says the editor of the Pictorial Bible, "is very common in the East to this day, among a very respectable and intelligent class of merchants. They convey the products of one place to some distant city, where they remain until they have disposed of their own goods and have purchased others suitable for another distant market; and thus the operation is repeated, until, after a number of years, the trader is enabled to return prosperously to his home. Or again, a shopkeeper or a merchant takes only the first step in this process - conveying to a distant town, where the best purchases of his own line are to be made, such goods as are likely to realise a profit, and returning, without any farther stop, with a stock for his own concern. These operations are seldom very rapid, as the adventurer likes to wait opportunities for making advantageous bargains; and sometimes opens a shop in the place to which he comes, to sell by retail the goods which he has bought." The practice is common in India. See Roberts" Oriental Illustrations.
And buy and sell, and get gain - It is not improbable that there is an allusion here to the commercial habits of the Jews at the time when the apostle wrote. Many of them were engaged in foreign traffic, and for this purpose made long journeys to distant trading cities, as Alexandria, Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, etc. - Bloomfield.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:13: Go to: Jam 5:1; Gen 11:3, Gen 11:4, Gen 11:7; Ecc 2:1; Isa 5:5
To day: Pro 27:1; Isa 56:12; Luk 12:17-20
and buy: Isa 24:2, Isa 56:11; Eze 7:12; Co1 7:30
Geneva 1599
4:13 (8) 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:
(8) The other fault is this: That men do so confidently determine on these and those matters and businesses, as though every moment of their life did not depend on God.
John Gill
4:13 Go to now, ye that say,.... The apostle passes from exposing the sin of detraction, and rash judgment, to inveigh against those of presumption and self-confidence; and the phrase, "go to now", is a note of transition, as well as of attention, and contains the form of a solemn and grave address to persons, who either think within themselves, or vocally express, the following words, or the like unto them:
today, or tomorrow, we will go into such a city; in such a country, a place of great trade and merchandise; as Tyre then was in Phoenicia, Thessalonica in Macedonia, Ephesus in Asia, and others: some render this as an imperative, or as an exhortation, "let us go", which does not alter the sense.
And continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain; as is customary for merchants to do; nor does the apostle design by this to condemn merchandise, and the lawful practice of buying and selling, and getting gain; but that men should not resolve upon those things without consulting God, and attending to his will, and subjecting themselves to it; and without considering the uncertainty and frailty of human life; as well as should not promise and assure themselves of success, of getting gain and riches, as if those things were in their own power, and had no dependence upon the providence and blessing of God.
John Wesley
4:13 Come now, ye that say - As peremptorily as if your life were in your own hands.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:13 Go to now--"Come now"; said to excite attention.
ye that say--boasting of the morrow.
To-day or to-morrow--as if ye had the free choice of either day as a certainty. Others read, "To-day and to-morrow."
such a city--literally, "this the city" (namely, the one present to the mind of the speaker). This city here.
continue . . . a year--rather, "spend one year." Their language implies that when this one year is out, they purpose similarly settling plans for to come [BENGEL].
buy and sell--Their plans for the future are all worldly.
4:144:14: որք ո՛չ գիտէք զվաղիւն[2960], [2960] Ոմանք. Որ ոչ գիտեն զվաղուին։
14 (Այսպէս էք ասում դուք, որ ոչինչ չգիտէք վաղուայ մասին. որովհետեւ ի՞նչ է ձեր կեանքը. յիրաւի մի մշուշ է այն, որ մի պահ երեւում է եւ ապա անհետանում):
14 Դուք ոչինչ գիտէք վաղուան մասին.
որք ոչ գիտէք զվաղիւն:

4:14: որք ո՛չ գիտէք զվաղիւն[2960],
[2960] Ոմանք. Որ ոչ գիտեն զվաղուին։
14 (Այսպէս էք ասում դուք, որ ոչինչ չգիտէք վաղուայ մասին. որովհետեւ ի՞նչ է ձեր կեանքը. յիրաւի մի մշուշ է այն, որ մի պահ երեւում է եւ ապա անհետանում):
14 Դուք ոչինչ գիտէք վաղուան մասին.
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:1414: вы, которые не знаете, что случится завтра: ибо что такое жизнь ваша? пар, являющийся на малое время, а потом исчезающий.
4:14  οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε τὸ τῆς αὔριον ποία ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν. ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστε ἡ πρὸς ὀλίγον φαινομένη, ἔπειτα καὶ ἀφανιζομένη·
4:14. οἵτινες (which-ones) οὐκ (not) ἐπίστασθε ( ye-stand-upon ) τῆς (of-the-one) αὔριον (to-morrow) ποία (whither-belonged) ἡ (the-one) ζωὴ (a-lifing) ὑμῶν: (of-ye) ἀτμὶς (a-mist) γάρ (therefore) ἐστε (ye-be) πρὸς (toward) ὀλίγον (to-little) φαινομένη, (being-manifested) ἔπειτα (upon-if-to-the-ones) καὶ (and) ἀφανιζομένη: (being-un-manifisted-to)
4:14. qui ignoratis quid erit in crastinum quae enim est vita vestra vapor est ad modicum parens deinceps exterminaturWhereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is a vapour which appeareth for a little while and afterwards shall vanish away.
14. whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
4:14. consider that you do not know what will be tomorrow.
4:14. 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.
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:

14: вы, которые не знаете, что случится завтра: ибо что такое жизнь ваша? пар, являющийся на малое время, а потом исчезающий.
4:14  οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε τὸ τῆς αὔριον ποία ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν. ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστε ἡ πρὸς ὀλίγον φαινομένη, ἔπειτα καὶ ἀφανιζομένη·
4:14. qui ignoratis quid erit in crastinum quae enim est vita vestra vapor est ad modicum parens deinceps exterminatur
Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is a vapour which appeareth for a little while and afterwards shall vanish away.
4:14. consider that you do not know what will be tomorrow.
4:14. 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.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jg▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ all ▾
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:14: Whereas ye know not - This verse should be read in a parenthesis. It is not only impious, but grossly absurd, to speak thus concerning futurity, when ye know not what a day may bring forth. Life is utterly precarious; and God has not put it within the power of all the creatures he has made to command one moment of what is future.
It is even a vapour - Ατμις γαρ εστιν· It is a smoke, always fleeting, uncertain, evanescent, and obscured with various trials and afflictions. This is a frequent metaphor with the Hebrews; see Psa 102:11; My days are like a shadow: Job 8:9; Our days upon earth are a shadow: Ch1 29:15; Our days on the earth are a shadow, and there is no abiding. Quid tam circumcisum, tam breve, quam hominis vita longissima? Plin. l. iii., Ep. 7. "What is so circumscribed, or so short, as the longest life of man?" "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, because the breath of the Lord bloweth upon it. Surely the people is like grass." St. James had produced the same figure, Jam 1:10, Jam 1:11. But there is a very remarkable saying in the book of Ecclesiasticus, which should be quoted: "As of the green leaves of a thick tree, some fall and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood: one cometh to an end, and another is born." Ecclus. 14:18.
We find precisely the same image in Homer as that quoted above. Did the apocryphal writer borrow it from the Greek poet?
Οἱη περ φυλλων γενεη, τοιηδε και ανδρων·
Φυλλα τα μεν τ' ανεμος χαμαδις χεει, αλλα δε θ' ὑλη
Τηλεθοωσα φυει, εσρος δ' επιγιγνεται ὡρη·
Ὡς ανδρων γενεη, ἡ μεν φυει, ἡ δ' αποληγει.
Il. l. vi., ver. 146.
Like leaves on trees the race of man is found,
Now green in youth, now withering on the ground
Another race the following spring supplies;
They fall successive, and successive rise.
So generations in their course decay;
So flourish these, when those are pass'd away.
Pope.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:14: Whereas, ye know not what shall be on the morrow - They formed their plans as if they knew; the apostle says it could not be known. They had no means of ascertaining what would occur; whether they would live or die; whether they would be prospered, or would be overwhelmed with adversity. Of the truth of the remark made by the apostle here, no one can doubt; but it is amazing how men act as if it were false. We have no power of penetrating the future so as to be able to determine what will occur in a single day or a single hour, and yet we are almost habitually forming our plans as if we saw with certainty all that is to happen. The classic writings abound with beautiful expressions respecting the uncertainty of the future, and the folly of forming our plans as if it were known to us. Many of those passages, some of them almost precisely in the words of James, may be seen in Grotius and Pricaeus, in loc. Such passages occur in Anacreon, Euripides, Menander, Seneca, Horace, and others, suggesting an obvious but much-neglected thought, that the future is to is all unknown. Man cannot penetrate it; and his plans of life should be formed in view of the possibility that his life may be cut off and all his plans fail, and consequently in constant preparation for a higher world.
For what is your life? - All your plans must depend of course on the continuance of your life; but what a frail and uncertain thing is that! How transitory and evanescent as a basis on which to build any plans for the future! Who can calculate on the permanence of a vapor? Who can build any solid hopes on a mist?
It is even a vapour - Margin, "For it is." The margin is the more correct rendering. The pRev_ious question had turned the attention to life as something peculiarly frail, and as of such a nature that no calculation could be based on its permanence. This expression gives a reason for that, to wit, that it is a mere vapor. The word "vapor" (ἀτμὶς atmis,) means a mist, an exhalation, a smoke; such a vapor as we see ascending from a stream, or as lies on the mountain side on the morning, or as floats for a little time in the air, but which is dissipated by the rising sun, leaving not a trace behind. The comparison of life with a vapor is common, and is as beautiful as it is just. Job says,
O remember that my life is Wind;
Mine eyes shall no more see good.
Job 7:7.
So the Psalmist,
For he remembered that they were but flesh,
A wind that passeth away and that cometh not again.
Psa 78:39.
Compare Ch1 29:15; Job 14:10-11.
And then vanisheth away - Wholly disappears. Like the dissipated vapor, it is entirely gone. There is no remnant, no outline, nothing that reminds us that it ever was. So of life. Soon it disappears altogether. The works of art that man has made, the house that he has built, or the book that he has written, remain for a little time, but the life has gone. There is nothing of it remaining - any more than there is of the vapor which in the morning climbed silently up the mountain side. The animating principle has vanished foRev_er. On such a frail and evanescent thing, who can build any substantial hopes?
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:14: It is: or, For it is
a vapour: Jam 1:10; Job 7:6, Job 7:7, Job 9:25, Job 9:26, Job 14:1, Job 14:2; Psa 39:5, Psa 89:47, Psa 90:5-7, Psa 102:3; Isa 38:12; Pe1 1:24, Pe1 4:7; Jo1 2:17
John Gill
4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow,.... Whether there would be a morrow for them or not, whether they should live till tomorrow; and if they should, they knew not what a morrow would bring forth, or what things would happen, which might prevent their intended journey and success: no man can secure a day, an hour, a moment, and much less a year of continuance in this life; nor can he foresee what will befall him today or tomorrow; therefore it is great stupidity to determine on this, and the other, without the leave of God, in whom he lives, moves, and has his being; and by whose providence all events are governed and directed; see Prov 27:1
for what is your life? of what kind and nature is it? what assurance can be had of the continuance of it? by what may it be expressed? or to what may it be compared?
Tit is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away; which rises out of the earth, or water, and expires almost as soon as it exists; at least, continues but a very short time, and is very weak and fleeting, and carried about here and there, and soon returns from whence it came: the allusion is to the breath of man, which is in his nostrils, and who is not to be accounted of, or depended on.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:14 what--literally, "of what nature" is your life? that is, how evanescent it is.
Tit is even--Some oldest authorities read, "For ye are." BENGEL, with other old authorities, reads, "For it shall be," the future referring to the "morrow" (Jas 4:13-15). The former expresses, "Ye yourselves are transitory"; so everything of yours, even your life, must partake of the same transitoriness. Received text has no old authority.
and then vanisheth away--"afterwards vanishing as it came"; literally, "afterwards (as it appeared), so vanishing" [ALFORD].
4:154:15: որպիսի՞ ինչ իցեն կեանք ձեր. զի իբրեւ զմրրիկ էք, որ առ սակաւ մի երեւեալ՝ եւ ապականեալ. փոխանակ զի ասէիք. Եթէ Տէր կամեսցի, կեցցո՛ւք եւ արասցուք զայս ինչ՝ կամ զայն[2961]։ [2961] Ոմանք. Որպիսի ինչ են կեանք ձեր. քանզի իբրեւ... երեւեալ, եւ ապա ապականեալ... կամեսցի՝ եւ կեցցուք, արասցուք։ Ուր Ոսկան. Եւ ապա պակասեալ։
15 Մինչդեռ դուք ասելու էք. «Եթէ Տէրը կամենայ, եւ ապրենք, կ’անենք այս կամ այն բանը»:
15 քանզի ի՞նչ է ձեր կեանքը. յիրաւի շոգի մըն է, որ քիչ մը ատեն կ’երեւնայ ու ետքը կ’ոչնչանայ.Անոր տեղ ըսելու էք. «Եթէ Տէրը կամենայ ու ապրինք, այս կամ այն բանը ընենք»։
որպիսի՞ ինչ իցեն կեանք ձեր, զի իբրեւ զմրրիկ էք, որ առ սակաւ մի երեւեալ` եւ ապա ապականեալ. փոխանակ զի ասէիք. Եթէ Տէր կամեսցի, եւ կեցցուք, արասցուք զայս ինչ կամ զայն:

4:15: որպիսի՞ ինչ իցեն կեանք ձեր. զի իբրեւ զմրրիկ էք, որ առ սակաւ մի երեւեալ՝ եւ ապականեալ. փոխանակ զի ասէիք. Եթէ Տէր կամեսցի, կեցցո՛ւք եւ արասցուք զայս ինչ՝ կամ զայն[2961]։
[2961] Ոմանք. Որպիսի ինչ են կեանք ձեր. քանզի իբրեւ... երեւեալ, եւ ապա ապականեալ... կամեսցի՝ եւ կեցցուք, արասցուք։ Ուր Ոսկան. Եւ ապա պակասեալ։
15 Մինչդեռ դուք ասելու էք. «Եթէ Տէրը կամենայ, եւ ապրենք, կ’անենք այս կամ այն բանը»:
15 քանզի ի՞նչ է ձեր կեանքը. յիրաւի շոգի մըն է, որ քիչ մը ատեն կ’երեւնայ ու ետքը կ’ոչնչանայ.
Անոր տեղ ըսելու էք. «Եթէ Տէրը կամենայ ու ապրինք, այս կամ այն բանը ընենք»։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:1515: Вместо того, чтобы вам говорить: 'если угодно будет Господу и живы будем, то сделаем то или другое', --
4:15  ἀντὶ τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς, ἐὰν ὁ κύριος θελήσῃ, καὶ ζήσομεν καὶ ποιήσομεν τοῦτο ἢ ἐκεῖνο.
4:15. ἀντὶ (ever-a-one) τοῦ (of-the-one) λέγειν (to-forth) ὑμᾶς (to-ye,"Ἐὰν (If-ever) ὁ (the-one) κύριος (Authority-belonged) θέλῃ, (it-might-determine) καὶ (and) ζήσομεν (we-shall-life-unto) καὶ (and) ποιήσομεν (we-shall-do-unto) τοῦτο (to-the-one-this) ἢ (or) ἐκεῖνο. (to-the-one-thither)
4:15. pro eo ut dicatis si Dominus voluerit et vixerimus faciemus hoc aut illudFor that you should say: If the Lord will, and, If we shall live, we will do this or that.
15. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that.
4:15. For what is your life? It is a mist that appears for a brief time, and afterwards will vanish away. So what you ought to say is: “If the Lord wills,” or, “If we live,” we will do this or that.
4:15. For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that:

15: Вместо того, чтобы вам говорить: 'если угодно будет Господу и живы будем, то сделаем то или другое', --
4:15  ἀντὶ τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς, ἐὰν ὁ κύριος θελήσῃ, καὶ ζήσομεν καὶ ποιήσομεν τοῦτο ἢ ἐκεῖνο.
4:15. pro eo ut dicatis si Dominus voluerit et vixerimus faciemus hoc aut illud
For that you should say: If the Lord will, and, If we shall live, we will do this or that.
4:15. For what is your life? It is a mist that appears for a brief time, and afterwards will vanish away. So what you ought to say is: “If the Lord wills,” or, “If we live,” we will do this or that.
4:15. For that ye [ought] to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ all ▾
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:15: For that ye ought to say - Αντι τοι λεγειν ὑμας· Instead of saying, or instead of which ye should say,
If the Lord will, we shall live - I think St. James had another example from the rabbins in view, which is produced by Drusius, Gregory, Cartwright, and Schoettgen, on this clause: "The bride went up to her chamber, not knowing what was to befall her there." On which there is this comment: "No man should ever say that he will do this or that, without the condition If God Will. A certain man said, 'To-morrow shall I sit with my bride in my chamber, and there shall rejoice with her.' To which some standing by said, אם גוזר השם im gozer hashshem, 'If the Lord will.' To which he answered, 'Whether the Lord will or not, to-morrow will I sit with my bride in my chamber.' He did so; he went with his bride into his chamber, and at night they lay down; but they both died, antequam illam cognosceret." It is not improbable that St. James refers to this case, as he uses the same phraseology.
On this subject I shall quote another passage which I read when a schoolboy, and which even then taught me a lesson of caution and of respect for the providence of God. It may be found in Lucian, in the piece entitled, Χαρων, η επισκοπουντες, c. 6: Επι δειπνον, οιμαι, κληθεις ὑπο τινος των φιλων ες την ὑστεραιαν, μαλιστα ἡξω, εφη· και μεταξυ λεγοντος, απο του τεγους κεραμις επιπεσουσα, ουκ οιδ' ὁτου κινησαντος, απεκτεινεν αυτον· εγελασα ουν, ουκ επιτελεσαντος την ὑποσχεσιν. "A man was invited by one of his friends to come the next day to supper. I will certainly come, said he. In the mean time a tile fell from a house, I knew not who threw it, and killed him. I therefore laughed at him for not fulfilling his engagement." It is often said Fas est et ab hoste doceri, " we should learn even from our enemies." Take heed, Christian, that this heathen buffoon laugh thee not out of countenance.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:15: For that ye ought to say - Instead of what you do say, "we will go into such a city," you ought rather to recognise your absolute dependence on God, and feel that life and success are subject to his will. The meaning is not that we ought always to be saying that in so many words, for this might become a mere ostentatious form, offensive by constant unmeaning repetition; but we are, in the proper way, to recognise our dependence on him, and to form all our plans with reference to his will.
If the Lord will ... - This is proper, because we are wholly dependent on him for life, and as dependent on him for success. He alone can keep us, and he only can make our plans prosperous. In a thousand ways he can thwart our best-laid schemes, for all things are under his control. We need not travel far in life to see how completely all that we have is in the hands of God, or to learn how easily he can frustrate us if he pleases. There is nothing on which the success of our plans depends over which we have absolute control; there is nothing, therefore, on which we can base the assurance of success but his favor.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:15: If: Sa2 15:25, Sa2 15:26; Pro 19:21; Lam 3:37; Act 18:21; Rom 1:10, Rom 15:32; Co1 4:19; Co1 16:7; Heb 6:3
John Gill
4:15 For that ye ought to say,.... Instead of saying we will go to such and such a place, and do this, and that, and the other thing, it should be said,
if the Lord will, and we shall live, and do this and that; the last "and" is left out in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions; and the passage rendered thus, "if the Lord will, and we shall live, we will do this": so that here are two conditions of doing anything; the one is, if it should be agreeable to the determining will and purpose of God, by which everything in the world comes to pass, and into which the wills of men should be resolved, and resigned; and the other is, if we should live, since life is so very uncertain and precarious: and the sense is, not that this exact form of words should be always used, but what is equivalent to them, or, at least, that there should be always a sense of these things upon the mind; and there should be a view to them in all resolutions, designs, and engagements: and since the words are so short and comprehensive, it might be proper for Christians to use themselves to such a way of speaking; upon all occasions; we find it used by the Apostle Paul frequently, as in Acts 18:2, and even by Jews, Heathens, and Turks. It is a saying of Ben Syra, the Jew (p),
"let a man never say he will do anything, before he says , "if God will"''
So Cyrus, king of Persia, when, under pretence of hunting, he designed an expedition into Armenia, upon which an hare started, and was caught by an eagle, said to his friends, this will be a good or prosperous hunting to us, , "if God will" (q). And very remarkable are the words of Socrates to Alcibiades, inquiring of him how he ought to speak; says Socrates, , "if God will" (r); and says he, in another place (s),
"but I will do this, and come unto thee tomorrow, "if God will".''
And it is reported of the Turks (t), that they submit everything to the divine will; as the success of war, or a journey, or anything, even of the least moment, they desire to be done; and never promise themselves, or others, anything, but under this condition, "In Shallah", if God will.
(p) Sentent. 11. (q) Xenophon. Cyropaed. l. 2. c. 25. (r) Plato in Aleibiade, p. 135. (s) Plato in Laches. (t) Smith de Moribus Turc. p. 74.
John Wesley
4:15 Instead of your saying - That is, whereas ye ought to say.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:15 Literally, "instead of your saying," &c. This refers to "ye that say" (Jas 4:13).
we shall live--The best manuscripts read, "We shall both live and do," &c. The boasters spoke as if life, action, and the particular kind of action were in their power, whereas all three depend entirely on the will of the Lord.
4:164:16: Եւ արդ՝ պարծիք յամբարտաւանութեան ձերում. ամենայն ինչ այնպիսի պարծանք՝ չարութի՛ւն են[2962]։ [2962] Ոմանք. Ամենայն այսպիսի պարծանք չարութեան են։
16 Բայց արդ, պարծենում էք ձեր ամբարտաւանութեամբ: Այսպիսի ամէն պարծանք չար է:
16 Բայց հիմա ձեր ամբարտաւանութիւնովը կը պարծենաք։ Բոլոր պարծանքները չարութիւն են։
Եւ արդ պարծիք յամբարտաւանութեան ձերում. ամենայն ինչ այնպիսի պարծանք չարութիւն են:

4:16: Եւ արդ՝ պարծիք յամբարտաւանութեան ձերում. ամենայն ինչ այնպիսի պարծանք՝ չարութի՛ւն են[2962]։
[2962] Ոմանք. Ամենայն այսպիսի պարծանք չարութեան են։
16 Բայց արդ, պարծենում էք ձեր ամբարտաւանութեամբ: Այսպիսի ամէն պարծանք չար է:
16 Բայց հիմա ձեր ամբարտաւանութիւնովը կը պարծենաք։ Բոլոր պարծանքները չարութիւն են։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:1616: вы, по своей надменности, тщеславитесь: всякое такое тщеславие есть зло.
4:16  νῦν δὲ καυχᾶσθε ἐν ταῖς ἀλαζονείαις ὑμῶν· πᾶσα καύχησις τοιαύτη πονηρά ἐστιν.
4:16. νῦν (Now) δὲ (moreover) καυχᾶσθε ( ye-boast-unto ) ἐν (in) ταῖς (unto-the-ones) ἀλαζονίαις (unto-braggings-unto) ὑμῶν: (of-ye) πᾶσα (all) καύχησις (a-boasting) τοιαύτη (the-one-unto-the-one-this) πονηρά (en-necessitated) ἐστιν. (it-be)
4:16. nunc autem exultatis in superbiis vestris omnis exultatio talis maligna estBut now you rejoice in your arrogancies. All such rejoicing is wicked.
16. But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil.
4:16. But now you exult in your arrogance. All such exultation is wicked.
4:16. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil:

16: вы, по своей надменности, тщеславитесь: всякое такое тщеславие есть зло.
4:16  νῦν δὲ καυχᾶσθε ἐν ταῖς ἀλαζονείαις ὑμῶν· πᾶσα καύχησις τοιαύτη πονηρά ἐστιν.
4:16. nunc autem exultatis in superbiis vestris omnis exultatio talis maligna est
But now you rejoice in your arrogancies. All such rejoicing is wicked.
4:16. But now you exult in your arrogance. All such exultation is wicked.
4:16. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jg▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ all ▾
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:16: But now ye rejoice in your boastings - Ye glory in your proud and self-sufficient conduct, exulting that ye are free from the trammels of superstition, and that ye can live independently of God Almighty. All such boasting is wicked, πονηρα εστιν, is impious. In an old English work, entitled, The godly man's picture drawn by a Scripture pencil, there are these words: "Some of those who despise religion say, Thank God we are not of this holy number! They who thank God for their unholiness had best go ring the bells for joy that they shall never see God."
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:16: But now ye rejoice in your boastings - That is, probably, in your boastings of what you can do; your reliance on your own skill and sagacity. You form your plans for the future as if with consummate wisdom, and are confident of success. You do not anticipate a failure; you do not see how plans so skilfully formed can fail. You form them as if you were certain that you would live; as if secure from the numberless casualties which may defeat your schemes.
All such rejoicing is evil - It is founded on a wrong view of yourselves and of what may occur. It shows a spirit forgetful of our dependence on God; forgetful of the uncertainty of life; forgetful of the many ways by which the best-laid plans may be defeated. We should never boast of any wisdom or skill in regard to the future. A day, an hour may defeat our best-concerted plans, and show us that we have not the slightest power to control coming events.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:16: Jam 3:14; Psa 52:1, Psa 52:7; Pro 25:14, Pro 27:1; Isa 47:7, Isa 47:8, Isa 47:10; Co1 4:7, Co1 4:8, Co1 5:6; Rev 18:7
John Gill
4:16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings,.... Of tomorrow, and of the continuance of life, and of going to such a place, and abiding there for such a time, and of trading and trafficking with great success, to the obtaining of much gain and riches; see Prov 27:1
all such rejoicing is evil; wicked and atheistical, as expressing a neglect of and independence on Providence; arrogating and ascribing too much to themselves, their power and will, as if they had their lives and fortunes in their own hands, and at their own dispose, when all depend upon the will of God. The Syriac version renders it, "all such rejoicing is from evil"; from an evil heart, and from the evil one, Satan.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:16 now--as it is.
rejoice in . . . boastings--"ye boast in arrogant presumptions," namely, vain confident fancies that the future is certain to you (Jas 4:13).
rejoicing--boasting [BENGEL].
4:174:17: Որ ոք գիտիցէ զբարին՝ եւ ո՛չ առնիցէ, մե՛ղք են նմա։
17 Ով որ գիտէ, թէ ինչ է բարին, եւ չի անում, նրա համար այդ մեղք է:
17 Ուստի ով որ բարին ընելը գիտնայ ու չընէ, ան մեղք է անոր։
Որ ոք գիտիցէ զբարին եւ ոչ առնիցէ, մեղք են նմա:

4:17: Որ ոք գիտիցէ զբարին՝ եւ ո՛չ առնիցէ, մե՛ղք են նմա։
17 Ով որ գիտէ, թէ ինչ է բարին, եւ չի անում, նրա համար այդ մեղք է:
17 Ուստի ով որ բարին ընելը գիտնայ ու չընէ, ան մեղք է անոր։
zohrab-1805▾ eastern-1994▾ western am▾
4:1717: Итак, кто разумеет делать добро и не делает, тому грех.
4:17  εἰδότι οὗν καλὸν ποιεῖν καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῶ ἐστιν.
4:17. εἰδότι (Unto-having-had-come-to-see) οὖν (accordingly) καλὸν (to-seemly) ποιεῖν (to-do-unto) καὶ (and) μὴ (lest) ποιοῦντι, (unto-doing-unto,"ἁμαρτία (an-un-adjusting-along-unto) αὐτῷ (unto-it) ἐστίν. (it-be)
4:17. scienti igitur bonum facere et non facienti peccatum est illiTo him therefore who knoweth to do good and doth it not, to him it is sin.
17. To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
4:17. Therefore, he who knows that he ought to do a good thing, and does not do it, for him it is a sin.
4:17. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin:

17: Итак, кто разумеет делать добро и не делает, тому грех.
4:17  εἰδότι οὗν καλὸν ποιεῖν καὶ μὴ ποιοῦντι, ἁμαρτία αὐτῶ ἐστιν.
4:17. scienti igitur bonum facere et non facienti peccatum est illi
To him therefore who knoweth to do good and doth it not, to him it is sin.
4:17. Therefore, he who knows that he ought to do a good thing, and does not do it, for him it is a sin.
4:17. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.
ru▾ el▾ el-en-gloss▾ vulgate▾ erva_1895▾ catholic_pdv▾ kjv_1900▾
jfb▾ jw▾ jg▾ gnv▾ tr▾ ab▾ ac▾ tb▾ all ▾
А. П. Лопухин: Tолковая Библия или комментарий на все книги Св.Писания Ветхого и Нового Заветов - 1903-1914
17: Обличения и увещания свои Апостол заканчивает общею сентенциею, что, "кто разумеет делать добро и не делает, тому грех". Эта мысль о тяжести и виновности греха сознательного представляет повторение мысли Господа Иисуса Христа, не раз Им высказанной (Лк 12:47-48; Ин 15:22: и др.); у Апостола она относится ближайшим образом к содержанию главы IV-й, частнее последних ее стихов, но, в силу своей общности и широты, приложима ко всему вообще нравственному учению послания.
Adam Clarke: Commentary on the Bible - 1831
4:17: To him that knoweth to do good - As if he had said: After this warning none of you can plead ignorance; if, therefore, any of you shall be found to act their ungodly part, not acknowledging the Divine providence, the uncertainty of life, and the necessity of standing every moment prepared to meet God - as you will have the greater sin, you will infallibly get the greater punishment. This may be applied to all who know better than they act. He who does not the Master's will because he does not know it, will be beaten with few stripes; but he who knows it and does not do it, shall be beaten with many; Luk 12:47, Luk 12:48. St. James may have the Christians in view who were converted from Judaism to Christianity. They had much more light and religious knowledge than the Jews had; and God would require a proportionable improvement from them.
1. Saady, a celebrated Persian poet, in his Gulistan, gives us a remarkable example of this going from city to city to buy and sell, and get gain. "I knew," says he, "a merchant who used to travel with a hundred camels laden with merchandise, and who had forty slaves in his employ. This person took me one day to his warehouse, and entertained me a long time with conversation good for nothing. 'I have,' said he, 'such a partner in Turquestan; such and such property in India; a bond for so much cash in such a province; a security for such another sum.' Then, changing the subject, he said, 'I purpose to go and settle at Alexandria, because the air of that city is salubrious.' Correcting himself, he said, 'No, I will not go to Alexandria; the African sea (the Mediterranean) is too dangerous. But I will make another voyage; and after that I will retire into some quiet corner of the world, and give up a mercantile life.' I asked him (says Saady) what voyage he intended to make. He answered, 'I intend to take brimstone to Persia and China, where I am informed it brings a good price; from China I shall take porcelain to Greece; from Greece I shall take gold tissue to India; from India I shall carry steel to Haleb (Aleppo); from Haleb I shall carry glass to Yemen (Arabia Felix); and from Yemen I shall carry printed goods to Persia. When this is accomplished I shall bid farewell to the mercantile life, which requires so many troublesome journeys, and spend the rest of my life in a shop.' He said so much on this subject, till at last he wearied himself with talking; then turning to me he said, 'I entreat thee, Saady, to relate to me something of what thou hast seen and heard in thy travels.' I answered, Hast thou never heard what a traveler said, who fell from his camel in the desert of Joor? Two things only can fill the eye of a covetous man - contentment, or the earth that is cast on him when laid in his grave."
This is an instructive story, and is taken from real life. In this very way, to those same places and with the above specified goods, trade is carried on to this day in the Levant. And often the same person takes all these journeys, and even more. We learn also from it that a covetous man is restless and unhappy, and that to avarice there are no bounds. This account properly illustrates that to which St. James refers: To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain.
2. Providence is God's government of the world; he who properly trusts in Divine providence trusts in God; and he who expects God's direction and help must walk uprightly before him; for it is absurd to expect God to be our friend if we continue to be his enemy.
3. That man walks most safely who has the least confidence in himself. True magnanimity keeps God continually in view. He appoints it its work, and furnishes discretion and power; and its chief excellence consists in being a resolute worker together with him. Pride ever sinks where humility swims; for that man who abases himself God will exalt. To know that we are dependent creatures is well; to feel it, and to act suitably, is still better.
Albert Barnes: Notes on the Bible - 1834
4:17: Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin - That is, he is guilty of sin if he does not do it. Cotton Mather adopted it as a principle of action, "that the ability to do good in any case imposes an obligation to do it." The proposition in the verse before us is of a general character, but probably the apostle meant that it should refer to the point specified in the pRev_ious verses - the forming of plans respecting the future. The particular meaning then would be, "that he who knows what sort of views he should take in regard to the future, and how he should form his plans in view of the uncertainty of life, and still does not do it, but goes on recklessly, forming his plans beastingly and confident of success, is guilty of sin against God." Still, the proposition will admit of a more general application. It is universally true that if a man knows what is right, and does not do it, he is guilty of sin.
If he understands what his duty is; if he has the means of doing good to others; if by his name, his influence, his wealth, he can promote a good cause; if he can, consistently with other duties, relieve the distressed, the poor, the prisoner, the oppressed; if he can send the gospel to other lands, or can wipe away the tear of the mourner; if he has talents by which he can lift a voice that shall be heard in favor of temperance, chastity, liberty, and religion, he is under obligations to do it: and if, by indolence, or avarice, or selfishness, or the dread of the loss of popularity, he does not do it, he is guilty of sin before God. No man can be released from the obligation to do good in this world to the extent of his ability; no one should desire to be. The highest privilege conferred on a mortal, besides that of securing the salvation of his own soul, is that of doing good to others - of alleviating sorrow, instructing ignorance, raising up the bowed down, comforting those that mourn, delivering the wronged and the oppressed, supplying the wants of the needy guiding inquirers into the way of truth, and sending liberty, knowledge, and salvation around the world. If a man does not do this when he has the means, he sins against his own soul, against humanity, and against his Maker; if he does it cheerfully and to the extent of his means, it likens him more than anything else to God.
R. A. Torrey - Treasury: Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge - 1880
4:17: Luk 12:47, Luk 12:48; Joh 9:41, Joh 13:17, Joh 15:22; Rom 1:20, Rom 1:21, Rom 1:32, Rom 2:17-23, Rom 7:13
Geneva 1599
4:17 (9) Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth [it] not, to him it is sin.
(9) The conclusion of all the former treatise. The knowledge of the will of God does not only not at all profit, unless the life be answerable unto it, but also makes the sins far more grievous.
John Gill
4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good,.... This may regard not only the last particular of referring all things to the will of God, the sovereign disposer of life, and all events, which some might have the knowledge of in theory, though they did not practise according to it; but all the good things the apostle had exhorted to, and the contrary to which he had warned from, in this epistle; and suggests, that a Gnostic, or one that knows the will of God, in the several branches of it, revealed in his word,
and doth it not, to him it is sin: it is a greater sin; it is an aggravated one; it is criminal in him that is ignorant of what is good, and does that which is evil, nor shall he escape punishment; but it is much more wicked in a man that knows what is right and good, and ought to be done, and does it not, but that which is evil, and his condemnation will be greater; see Lk 12:47. The omission of a known duty, as well as the commission of a known sin, is criminal.
John Wesley
4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not - That knows what is right, and does not practise it. To him it is sin - This knowledge does not prevent, but increase, his condemnation.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
4:17 The general principle illustrated by the particular example just discussed is here stated: knowledge without practice is imputed to a man as great and presumptuous sin. James reverts to the principle with which he started. Nothing more injures the soul than wasted impressions. Feelings exhaust themselves and evaporate, if not embodied in practice. As we will not act except we feel, so if we will not act out our feelings, we shall soon cease to feel.