Berean Standard Bible
James 1:27
27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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 the world.
- New International Version (NIV)Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Context of James 1:27
25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does. 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Read all of James 1James 1:27 word by word
θρησκεία καθαρὰ καὶ ἀμίαντος παρὰ τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ αὕτη ἐστίν, ἐπισκέπτεσθαι ὀρφανοὺς καὶ χήρας ἐν τῇ θλίψει αὐτῶν, ἄσπιλον ἑαυτὸν τηρεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου.¶Read the interlinear
- Pureκαθαρόςkatharos · cleanG2513
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- undefiledἀμίαντοςamiantos · pureG283
- religionθρησκείαthrēskeia · religionG2356
- beforeπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- to care forἐπισκέπτομαιepiskeptomai · to visit/care forG1980
- orphansὀρφανόςorphanos · orphanG3737
- widowsχήραchēra · widowG5503
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- distressθλῖψιςthlipsis · pressureG2347
- to keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: protectG5083
- oneselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- from being pollutedἄσπιλοςaspilos · spotlessG784
- byἀπόapo · away fromG575
- worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
Cross-references for James 1:27
- James 3:17But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- Psalms 119:1Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the LORD.
- Matthew 5:8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Luke 1:6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
- 1 Timothy 1:5The goal of our instruction is the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith.
- 1 Timothy 5:4But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
- Job 29:12because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
- Job 31:15Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
- Psalms 68:5A father of the fatherless and a defender of widows is God in His holy habitation.
- Isaiah 1:16Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
- Isaiah 58:6Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?
- Matthew 25:34Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
- Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. What matters is faith expressing itself through love.
- Galatians 6:9Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
- 1 John 3:17If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- James 4:4You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.
Commentaries on James 1:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27Pure religion, and undefiled - Having seen something of the etymology of the word , which we translate religion, it will be well to consider the etymology of the word religion itself. In the 28th chapter of the 4th book of his Divine Instructions, Lactantius, who flourished about a.d. 300, treats of hope, true religion, and superstition; of the two latter he gives Cicero's definition from his book De Natura Deorum, lib. ii. c. 28, which with his own…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27Pure religion - On the word here rendered “religion” ( ́ thrēskeia), see the notes at Colossians 2:18. It is used here evidently in the sense of piety, or as we commonly employ the word religion. The object of the apostle is to describe what enters essentially into religion; what it will do when it is properly and fairly developed. The phrase “pure religion” means that which is genuine and sincere, or which is free from any improper mixture. And…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 26-27Verses 26-27 When men take more pains to seem religious than really to be so, it is a sign their religion is in vain. The not bridling the tongue, readiness to speak of the faults of others, or to lessen their wisdom and piety, are signs of a vain religion. The man who has a slandering tongue, cannot have a truly humble, gracious heart. False religious may be known by their impurity and uncharitableness. True religion teaches us to do every thing as in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-27bridle his tongue: James uses this image to show that controlling your tongue reflects the condition of your heart and direction of life (compare 3:1–13). orphans and widows were the most vulnerable people in ancient society. They relied on others for support because the husband and father provided economic help and social connections (Exodus 22:22–24; Deuteronomy 10:18). God calls Christians to especially care for those who are helpless (compare 1…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 26-2726-27. An example of doing work. religious ... religion--The Greek expresses the external service or exercise of religion, "godliness" being the internal soul of it. "If any man think himself to be (so the Greek) religious, that is, observant of the offices of religion, let him know these consist not so much in outward observances, as in such acts of mercy and humble piety (Mi 6:7, 8) as visiting the fatherless, &c., and keeping one's self unspotted from…Read the comment
Topics related to James 1:27
In the dictionaries
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
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