The big picture
James 1 opens in verse 1 with “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”, and closes in verse 27 with “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless…” Repeated or prominent terms include perfect, tempted, word, brethren, Lord. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
James · King James Version · 27James 1:1-7
1–7: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve…
James 1:1–7 opens with “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered…” and reaches “For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A tested believer asking for wisdom, a poor and rich worshiper hearing reversal, and a person looking into a mirror but failing to act, with particular weight carried by faith, Lord, nothing.
Context that brings the passage to life
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.” The number twelve makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
James 1:1-7
King James Version1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
James 1:8-14
8–14: A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
James 1:8–14 opens with “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” and reaches “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A tested believer asking for wisdom, a poor and rich worshiper hearing reversal, and a person looking into a mirror but failing to act, with particular weight carried by tempted, flower, grass.
Context that brings the passage to life
“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” The line’s distinctive content terms include double, minded, unstable. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:” The line’s distinctive content terms include brother, degree, exalted. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
James 1:8-14
King James Version8A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
12Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
James 1:15-21
15–21: When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is…
James 1:15–21 opens with “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth…” and reaches “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A tested believer asking for wisdom, a poor and rich worshiper hearing reversal, and a person looking into a mirror but failing to act, with particular weight carried by beloved, brethren, bringeth.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” The line’s distinctive content terms include bringeth, conceived, death. Its relationship to verses 16 shows what work it does in this passage.
James 1:15-21
King James Version15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
James 1:22-27
22–27: Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own…
James 1:22–27 opens with “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” and reaches “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on A tested believer asking for wisdom, a poor and rich worshiper hearing reversal, and a person looking into a mirror but failing to act, with particular weight carried by doer, hearer, religion.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” The line’s distinctive content terms include deceiving, doers, hearers. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.
James 1:22-27
King James Version22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
James 1:1 begins with “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.”
Where the chapter turns
James 1:14 forms a natural hinge: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”
The final note
James 1:27 leaves the reader with “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words perfect, tempted, word, brethren, Lord, receive help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Who receives the image and the blessing?
Both male and female in verses 27-28. Human worth precedes achievement.
What limits human dominion?
The world belongs to its Creator and is already declared good. Compare the charge to tend and keep in 2:15.
KJV words made clear
- begat
- became the father of
- unto
- to
- hath
- has
- wherefore
- for that reason
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.