James 1:17

James 1:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
• New International Version (NIV)Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Context of James 1:17

15We may agree to do what our bad thoughts tell us to do. When we do that, it becomes a sin. Then, we may not stop doing those bad things. If we continue to live like that, the result of our sins is death. 16My Christian friends, do not make a mistake. Remember that every good gift comes to us from God. He only does what will help us. He is our Father in heaven. He made everything in the sky that gives us light. Those things do not give us the same light all the time. They change, but God does not change. 18He chose to make us his children. He used his true message to do that. Because of that, we are like the first special gift that belongs to him from among everything that he has made. 19Understand this, my Christian friends: We must all be careful to listen. We should not be too quick to speak. We should not get angry quickly.

James 1:17 word by word

πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστιν καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων παρ᾽ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
• giftδόσιςdosis · giftG1394
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• perfectτέλειοςteleios · perfectG5046
• giftδώρημαdōrēma · free giftG1434
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• from aboveἄνωθενanōthen · from above/againG509
• and cometh downκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the Fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• of lightsφῶςphōs · lightG5457
• withπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
• whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• isἔνιeni · there isG1762
• noοὐou · noG3756
• variablenessπαραλλαγήparallagē · variationG3883
• neitherἤē · orG2228
• shadowἀποσκίασμαaposkiasma · shadowG644
• of turningτροπήtropē · turningG5157

Cross-references for James 1:17

• James 1:5But maybe you need to know how to be wise. Then ask God to help you. He is ready to give everyone what they need. And he never says that it is wrong to ask. So God will help you to be wise.
• James 3:15You are not being wise in the way that God wants you to be wise. Instead, you are thinking like people who do not know God. Your thoughts do not come from God's Spirit. They come from demons.
• Genesis 41:16Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘I cannot do this. But God will give you an answer that will make you happy.’
• Exodus 4:11Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Who has made human mouths? Who makes a person that cannot speak? Who makes a person that cannot hear? Who makes a person who can see, or who cannot see? It is I, the Lord God!
• Exodus 31:3I have filled him with my Spirit so that he has special skills. He knows how to make many kinds of things.
• Exodus 36:1Then Moses said, ‘Bezalel and Oholiab will do the work that the Lord has commanded us to do. Everyone that the Lord has helped to have special skills will work with them. They will help to build the tabernacle and all the other special things that the Lord has commanded.’
• Numbers 11:17Then I will come down and I will speak with you there. I will take some of the authority of my Spirit that I gave to you. I will share it with them. Then they will help you to lead the people. So you will not be the only man who is doing that job.
• 1 Chronicles 22:12I also pray that the Lord will make you wise so that you understand things properly. I pray that you will obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel.
• 1 Chronicles 29:19Please help my son Solomon to want to obey you. Help him to obey all your commands, rules and laws. Help him to work well to build your temple. I have prepared the things that he will need to do that.’
• 2 Chronicles 1:11God said to Solomon, ‘I am pleased that you have not asked to have riches or many valuable things. You have not asked me to give you great honour or for me to punish your enemies with death. You have not asked for a long life. Instead you asked me to give you wisdom and knowledge to rule over my people that I have chosen you to rule as king.
• Proverbs 2:6It is the Lord who gives wisdom to people. He teaches us to understand things, so that we know what is true.
• Isaiah 28:26God teaches the farmer and he tells him the right thing to do.
• Daniel 2:21He makes things happen at the right time. He gives to some kings authority to rule. And he takes that authority away from other kings. He causes some people to become wise. He helps people to understand the things that they learn.
• Matthew 7:11You may be bad, but even you know how to give good things to your children. Your Father in heaven knows much better than you do how to give good things to his children. He will give good things to everyone who asks him.
• Matthew 11:25At this moment, Jesus said, ‘Father, you rule over everything in heaven and on the earth! People who do not know many things can now understand your message. And so I thank you. But you have hidden these things from some other people. Those people think that they understand everything. They think that they are wise.
• Matthew 13:11Jesus replied, ‘God has let you know what these stories mean. You understand how God rules in the lives of his people. But these other people do not understand what the stories mean.

Commentaries on James 1:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above - Whatever is good is from God; whatever is evil is from man himself. As from the sun, which is the father or fountain of light, all light comes; so from God, who is the infinite Fountain, Father, and Source of good, all good comes. And whatever can be called good, or pure, or light, or excellence of any kind, must necessarily spring from him, as he is the only source of all goodness and perfection…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Every good gift and every perfect gift - The difference between good and perfect here, it is not easy to mark accurately. It may be that the former means that which is benevolent in its character and tendency; the latter that which is entire, where there is nothing even apparently wanting to complete it; where it can be regarded as good as a whole and in all its parts. The general sense is, that God is the author of all good. Every thing that is good on…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. 17God is the Father of the heavenly lights (see footnote). This is because he created everything in the sky (Genesis 1:3, 14–17). Unlike the moving lights in the sky, God never changes or casts a shifting shadow.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. gift ... gift--not the same words in Greek: the first, the act of giving, or the gift in its initiatory stage; the second, the thing given, the boon, when perfected. As the "good gift" stands in contrast to "sin" in its initiatory stage (Jas 1:15), so the "perfect boon" is in contrast to "sin when it is finished," bringing forth death (2Pe 1:3). from above--(Compare Jas 3:15). Father of lights--Creator of the lights in heaven (compare Job 38:28…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:17

• Blessing
• Gifts from God
• God
• God Continued...
• Light

In the dictionaries

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

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