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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

Context of James 1:22

20for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

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 whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
• Matthew 7:21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is 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 all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
• Luke 6:46"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?
• Luke 11:28But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"
• Luke 12:47And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.
• John 13:17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
• Romans 2:13For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
• Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
• Colossians 3:17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
• 1 John 2:3And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
• 1 John 3:7Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.
• 3 John 1:11Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
• Revelation 22:7"And behold, 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 and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

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