James 1:15

James 1:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
• New International Version (NIV)Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

Context of James 1:15

13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” [for temptation does not originate from God, but from our own flaws]; for God cannot be tempted by [what is] evil, and He Himself tempts no one. 14But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited [to commit sin] by his own [worldly] desire (lust, passion). Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death. 16Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes].

James 1:15 word by word

εἶτα ἡ ἐπιθυμία συλλαβοῦσα τίκτει ἁμαρτίαν, ἡ δὲ ἁμαρτία ἀποτελεσθεῖσα ἀποκύει θάνατον.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Then whenεἶταeita · thenG1534
• lustἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939
• hath conceivedσυλλαμβάνωsullambanō · to seize/conceive/helpG4815
• it bringeth forthτίκτωtiktō · to give birth toG5088
• sinἁμαρτίαhamartia · sinG266
• andδέde · thenG1161
• when it is finishedἀποτελέωapoteleō · to completeG658
• bringeth forthἀποκυέωapokueō · to generateG616
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288

Cross-references for James 1:15

• Genesis 3:6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise and insightful, she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
• Genesis 4:5but for Cain and his offering He had no respect. So Cain became extremely angry (indignant), and he looked annoyed and hostile.
• Job 15:35They conceive mischief and bring forth wickedness, And their inmost soul prepares deceit and fraud.”
• Psalms 7:14Behold, the [wicked and irreverent] man is pregnant with sin, And he conceives mischief and gives birth to lies.
• Isaiah 59:4No one sues righteously [but for the sake of doing injury to others—to take some undue advantage], and no one pleads [his case] in truth; [but rather] They trust in empty arguments and speak lies; They conceive trouble and bring forth injustice.
• Micah 2:1Woe (judgment is coming) to those who devise wickedness And plot evil on their beds! When morning comes, they practice evil Because it is in the power of their hands.
• Matthew 26:14Then one of the twelve [disciples], who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
• Acts 5:1Now a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
• Genesis 2:17but [only] from the tree of the knowledge (recognition) of good and evil you shall not eat, otherwise on the day that you eat from it, you shall most certainly die [because of your disobedience].”
• Genesis 3:17Then to Adam the Lord God said, “Because you have listened [attentively] to the voice of your wife, and have eaten [fruit] from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’; The ground is [now] under a curse because of you; In sorrow and toil you shall eat [the fruit] of it All the days of your life.
• Psalms 9:17The wicked will turn to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), Even all the nations who forget God.
• Romans 5:12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all people [no one being able to stop it or escape its power], because they all sinned.
• Romans 6:21So what benefit did you get at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? [None!] For the outcome of those things is death!
• Revelation 20:14Then death and Hades [the realm of the dead] were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire [the eternal separation from God].

Commentaries on James 1:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15When lust hath conceived - When the evil propensity works unchecked, it bringeth forth sin - the evil act between the parties is perpetrated. And sin, when it is finished - When this breach of the law of God and of innocence has been a sufficient time completed, it bringeth forth death - the spurious offspring is the fruit of the criminal connection, and the evidence of that death or punishment due to the transgressors. Any person acquainted with the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Then when lust hath conceived - Compare Job 15:35. The allusion here is obvious. The meaning is, when the desire which we have naturally is quickened, or made to act, the result is that sin is produced. As our desires of good lie in the mind by nature, as our propensities exist as they were created, they cannot be regarded as sin, or treated as such; but when they are indulged, when plans of gratification are formed, when they are developed in actual…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 It is not every man who suffers, that is blessed; but he who with patience and constancy goes through all difficulties in the way of duty. Afflictions cannot make us miserable, if it be not our own fault. The tried Christian shall be a crowned one. The crown of life is promised to all who have the love of God reigning in their hearts. Every soul that truly loves God, shall have its trials in this world fully recompensed in that world above…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin: James describes sin as if it were a baby. If this “baby” sin becomes mature, it results in death. This spiritual death stands in direct opposition to "crown of life" (1:12).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. The guilty union is committed by the will embracing the temptress. "Lust," the harlot, then, "brings forth sin," namely, of that kind to which the temptation inclines. Then the particular sin (so the Greek implies), "when it is completed, brings forth death," with which it was all along pregnant [Alford]. This "death" stands in striking contrast to the "crown of life" (Jas 1:12) which "patience" or endurance ends in, when it has its "perfect work"…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:15

• Death
• Lust
• Sin
• Temptation
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Entice
• Fade
• Lack
• Lay
• Liberally
• Lust
• Pure
• Receive
• Religion
• Sin

Commentaries on James 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings