James 1:18

James 1:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
• New International Version (NIV)He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

Context of James 1:18

16My Christian friends, do not make a mistake. 17Remember 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. He 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. 20God wants us to do what is right. But when someone is angry, they do not do those right things.

James 1:18 word by word

βουληθεὶς ἀπεκύησεν ἡμᾶς λόγῳ ἀληθείας, εἰς τὸ εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἀπαρχήν τινα τῶν αὐτοῦ κτισμάτων.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Of his own willβούλομαιboulomai · to planG1014
• begat heἀποκυέωapokueō · to generateG616
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• with the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• ·εἰςeis · towardG1519
• should beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a kindτιςtis · oneG5100
• of firstfruitsἀπαρχήaparchē · firstfruitsG536
• of hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• creaturesκτίσμαktisma · creatureG2938

Cross-references for James 1:18

• John 1:13They did not become God's children in the usual human way. They were not born because some people wanted to have children. They were not born because of what any man decided. No! They were born from God.
• John 3:3Jesus replied, ‘I tell you this: Unless a person is born from above, they cannot understand the kingdom of God.’
• Romans 4:17In the Bible, God said to Abraham, ‘I have chosen you to become the ancestor of many different people.’ That is what God himself promises, because Abraham believed in him. God is the one who causes dead people to become alive again. He speaks about things that are not yet there as if they were already there.
• Romans 8:29God already had those people in his thoughts from the beginning. He decided that they should become like his Son. So then, his Son would have many younger brothers and sisters.
• Romans 9:15Think about this. God said to Moses, ‘I will be kind to whoever I choose to be kind to. I will feel sorry for whoever I choose to feel sorry for.’
• Ephesians 2:4But God is very good and kind! He loved us very much.
• Colossians 1:20He decided that Christ would die on the cross as a sacrifice. In that way, God would bring all things back to himself. Then everything could live in peace with God. That includes everything on the earth and everything in heaven.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13We always thank God for you, our Christian friends that the Lord loves. We ought to thank God, because he has chosen to save you. God chose you to belong to him, as some of the first people that he would save. You believed God's true message. And God's Spirit makes you separate from things that are bad.
• 1 Peter 1:3We praise God, who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He is very kind to us, so that he has given us new life. This is possible because God raised Jesus Christ to new life after his death. Now, as we live, we are sure that we will receive good things from God.
• James 1:21So stop doing disgusting things. Stay away from the wicked things that are all around you. God has put his message deep inside you, and it can save you. So be careful to accept that message.
• 1 Corinthians 4:15When I told the good news about Jesus Christ to you, I became like a father for you. You may have ten thousand teachers to help you understand the message about Christ. But I am the only person who is like a father for you.
• Ephesians 1:12We were the first people to trust in Christ, God's special Messiah. God wanted us to show how great he is. He wanted people to praise him because of us.
• 1 Peter 1:23You now have a new life! It is not like a human life that quickly comes to an end. It is a new life that will never spoil. You received it because you believed God's message. That message continues for ever and it does not change.
• 1 John 3:9Everybody who is a child of God does not continue to do wrong things. This is because God has given them a new life. He has caused them to become his children. So they cannot continue to do wrong things.
• Leviticus 23:10‘Tell Israel's people this. They will go into the land that I will give to them. And then they will harvest the grain. They must take the first part of the harvest in their arms. They must give this to the priest.
• Jeremiah 2:3At that time, Israel belonged to me as my special people. They were like the first crops that grew on my land. I promised to punish anyone who tried to hurt them. I sent great trouble to those who attacked you. That is what I, the Lord, have said.” ’

Commentaries on James 1:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Of his own will begat he us - God's will here is opposed to the lust of man, James 1:15; his truth, the means of human salvation, to the sinful means referred to in the above verse; and the new creatures, to the sin conceived and brought forth, as above. As the will of God is essentially good, all its productions must be good also; as it is infinitely pure, all its productions must be holy. The word or doctrine of truth, what St. Paul calls the word of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Of his own will - Greek “willing.” ̀ boulētheisThe idea is, that the fact that we are “begotten” to be his children is to be traced solely to his will. He purposed it, and it was done. The antecedent in the case on which all depended was the sovereign will of God. See this sentiment explained in the notes at John 1:13. Compare the notes at Ephesians 1:5. When it is said, however, that he has done this by his mere will, it is not to be inferred that there…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. 18The word of truth is the good news about Jesus (1:21–23; 1 Peter 1:23–25). give us birth: The image of a mother giving birth shows the full extent of God’s parental love for his children (compare Luke 13:34; John 1:13; 3:3–8; 1 Peter 1:23). a kind of firstfruits (compare Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:9–14; 1 Corinthians 15:20; Colossians 1:18): Christians are examples of the ultimate restoration of all creation (Romans 8:20–22).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. (Joh 1:13). The believer's regeneration is the highest example of nothing but good proceeding from God. Of his own will--Of his own good pleasure (which shows that it is God's essential nature to do good, not evil), not induced by any external cause. begat he us--spiritually: a once-for-all accomplished act (1Pe 1:3, 23). In contrast to "lust when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin, and sin ... death" (Jas 1:15). Life follows naturally in…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:18

• Blessing
• First Fruits
• God Continued...
• Gospel
• Predestination
• Regeneration
• 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