James 1:19

James 1:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
• New International Version (NIV)My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
• New King James Version (NKJV)So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

Context of James 1:19

17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation. My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

James 1:19 word by word

Ἴστε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί· ἔστω δὲ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ταχὺς εἰς τὸ ἀκοῦσαι, βραδὺς εἰς τὸ λαλῆσαι, βραδὺς εἰς ὀργήν.Read the interlinear

• Myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
• brothersἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• understand thisεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Everyoneπᾶςpas · allG3956
• Everyoneἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• should beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• quickταχύςtachus · quickG5036
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• listenἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• slowβραδύςbradus · slowG1021
• speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• angerὀργήorgē · wrathG3709

Cross-references for James 1:19

• Nehemiah 8:2On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.
• Nehemiah 9:3While they stood in their places, they read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and they spent another quarter of the day in confession and worship of the LORD their God.
• Proverbs 8:32Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
• Ecclesiastes 5:1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
• Mark 2:2they gathered in such large numbers that there was no more room, not even outside the door, as Jesus spoke the word to them.
• Mark 12:37David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.
• Luke 15:1Now all the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around to listen to Jesus.
• Luke 19:48Yet they could not find a way to do so, because all the people hung on His words.
• Acts 2:42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
• Acts 10:33So I sent for you immediately, and you were kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has instructed you to tell us.”
• Acts 13:42As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people urged them to continue this message on the next Sabbath.
• Acts 17:11Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13And we continually thank God because, when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is also now at work in you who believe.
• James 1:26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
• James 3:1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
• Proverbs 10:19When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

Commentaries on James 1:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Swift to hear - Talk little and work much, is a rabbinical adage. - Pirkey Aboth, cap. i. 15. The righteous speak little, and do much; the wicked speak much, and do nothing. - Bava Metzia, fol. 87. The son of Sirach says, cap. v. 11: ͅ , ͅ . "Be swift to hear, and with deep consideration give answer." Slow to wrath - "There are four kinds of dispositions," says the Midrash hanaalam, cap. v. 11: "First, Those who are easily incensed, and easily pacified…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Wherefore, my beloved brethren - The connection is this: “since God is the only source of good; since he tempts no man; and since by his mere sovereign goodness, without any claim on our part, we have had the high honor conferred on us of being made the first-fruits of his creatures, we ought to be ready to hear his voice, to subdue all our evil passions, and to bring our souls to entire practical obedience.” The necessity of obedience, or the doctrine…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-21Verses 19-21 Instead of blaming God under our trials, let us open our ears and hearts to learn what he teaches by them. And if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. The worst thing we can bring to any dispute, is anger. Here is an exhortation to lay apart, and to cast off as a filthy garment, all sinful practices. This must reach to sins of thought and affection, as well as of speech and practice; to every thing corrupt and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-27James discusses three topics from 1:2–11 and adds new insights to each. External challenges (in 1:2–4) become internal temptations (in 1:11–18). The need for wisdom (in 1:5–8) connects to controlling angry speech (in 1:19–21). Poverty and wealth relate to acting on God's word (1:22–25). This section then summarizes these ideas (1:26–27).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Wherefore--as your evil is of yourselves, but your good from God. However, the oldest manuscripts and versions read thus: "Ye know it (so Ep 5:5; He 12:17), my beloved brethren; BUT (consequently) let every man be swift to hear," that is, docile in receiving "the word of truth" (Jas 1:18, 21). The true method of hearing is treated in Jas 1:21-27, and Jas 2:1-26. slow to speak--(Pr 10:19; 17:27, 28; Ec 5:2). A good way of escaping one kind of…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:19

• Anger
• Commandments
• Hearers
• Humility
• Meekness
• Patience
• Prudence
• Speaking
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

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

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