James 1:22

James 1:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Context of James 1:22

20for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.

James 1:22 word by word

Γίνεσθε δὲ ποιηταὶ λόγου καὶ μὴ μόνον ἀκροαταὶ παραλογιζόμενοι ἑαυτούς.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• ye doersποιητήςpoiētēs · doerG4163
• of the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• notμήmē · notG3361
• hearersἀκροατήςakroatēs · hearerG202
• onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
• deceivingπαραλογίζομαιparalogizomai · to deceiveG3884
• your own selvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438

Cross-references for James 1:22

• James 4:17So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.
• Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
• Matthew 12:50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
• Matthew 28:20teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• Luke 6:46“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?
• Luke 11:28He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
• Luke 12:47And that servant who knew his master’s will and didn’t prepare himself or do it will be severely beaten.
• John 13:17If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
• Romans 2:13For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.
• Philippians 4:8Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things.
• Colossians 3:17And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
• 1 John 2:3This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands.
• 1 John 3:7Little children, let no one deceive you. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.
• 3 John 1:11Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
• Revelation 22:7“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
• James 1:26If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.

Commentaries on James 1:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22But be ye doers of the word - They had heard this doctrine; they had believed it; but they had put it to no practical use. They were downright Antinomians, who put a sort of stupid, inactive faith in the place of all moral righteousness. This is sufficiently evident from the second chapter. Deceiving your own selves - ̔· Imposing on your own selves by sophistical arguments; this is the meaning of the words. They had reasoned themselves into a state of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only - Obey the gospel, and do not merely listen to it. Compare Matthew 7:21. Deceiving your own selves - It is implied here, that by merely hearing the word but not doing it, they would deceive their own souls. The nature of this deception was this, that they would imagine that that was all which was required, whereas the main thing was that they should be obedient. If a man supposes that by a mere punctual…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-25Verses 22-25 If we heard a sermon every day of the week, and an angel from heaven were the preacher, yet, if we rested in hearing only, it would never bring us to heaven. Mere hearers are self-deceivers; and self-deceit will be found the worst deceit at last. If we flatter ourselves, it is our own fault; the truth, as it is in Jesus, flatters no man. Let the word of truth be carefully attended to, and it will set before us the corruption of our nature…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22Reading the scriptures was an important part of worship (Luke 4:16–17; Acts 13:13–16; Colossians 4:16; 1 Timothy 4:13). Most people could not read and there were very few copies available. So, they listened to the scriptures being read aloud during public worship.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. Qualification of the precept, "Be swift to hear": "Be ye doers ... not hearers only"; not merely "Do the word," but "Be doers" systematically and continually, as if this was your regular business. James here again refers to the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 7:21-29). deceiving your own selves--by the logical fallacy (the Greek implies this) that the mere hearing is all that is needed.Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:22

• Commandments
• Doer
• Hearers
• Hypocrisy
• Obedience
• Word of God
• Works

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