James 2:10

James 2:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
• New International Version (NIV)For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

Context of James 2:10

8If, however, you are [really] fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, if you have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit]” you are doing well. 9But if you show partiality [prejudice, favoritism], you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as offenders. For whoever keeps the whole Law but stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of [breaking] all of it. 11For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you have become guilty of transgressing the [entire] Law. 12Speak and act [consistently] as people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty [that moral law that frees obedient Christians from the bondage of sin].

James 2:10 word by word

ὅστις γὰρ ὅλον τὸν νόμον τηρήσῃ, πταίσῃ δὲ ἐν ἑνί, γέγονεν πάντων ἔνοχος.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• whosoeverὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• shall keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
• the wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650
• lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• and yetδέde · thenG1161
• offendπταίωptaiō · to stumbleG4417
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• he isγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• guilty ofἔνοχοςenochos · liable forG1777
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956

Cross-references for James 2:10

• Deuteronomy 27:26‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them [keeping them, taking them to heart as the rule of his life].’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
• Matthew 5:18For I assure you and most solemnly say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke [of the pen] will pass from the Law until all things [which it foreshadows] are accomplished.
• Galatians 3:10For all who depend on the Law [seeking justification and salvation by obedience to the Law and the observance of rituals] are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed (condemned to destruction) is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, so as to practice them.”

Commentaries on James 2:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, etc. - This is a rabbinical form of speech. In the tract Shabbath, fol. 70, where they dispute concerning the thirty-nine works commanded by Moses, Rabbi Yochanan says: But if a man do the whole, with the omission of one, he is guilty of the whole, and of every one. In Bammidar rabba, sec. 9, fol. 200, and in Tanchum, fol. 60, there is a copious example given, how an adulteress, by that one crime, breaks all the ten…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10For whosoever shall keep the whole law - All except the single point referred to. The apostle does not say that this in fact ever did occur, but he says that if it should, and yet a man should have failed in only one particular, he must be judged to be guilty. The case supposed seems to be that of one who claimed that he had kept the whole law. The apostle says that even if this should be admitted for the time to be true in all other respects, yet, if he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-13James uses the Bible to argue against the common practice of favoring wealthy and powerful people.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. The best manuscripts read, "Whosoever shall have kept the whole law, and yet shall have offended (literally, 'stumbled'; not so strong as 'fall,' Ro 11:11) in one (point; here, the respecting of persons), is (hereby) become guilty of all." The law is one seamless garment which is rent if you but rend a part; or a musical harmony which is spoiled if there be one discordant note [Tirinus]; or a golden chain whose completeness is broken if you break one…Read the comment

Topics related to James 2:10

• Commandments
• Faith
• Obedience
• Religion
• Sin
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Convince
• Dead
• Draw
• Justify
• Offend
• Respect
• Rich
• Sister
• Guilty
• Offence; Offend

Commentaries on James 2

• 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
• 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