James 1:13

James 1:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
• New International Version (NIV)When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

Context of James 1:13

11The sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up plants. The flowers drop off, and the beauty is gone. The same thing will happen to rich people. While they are busy, they will die. 12Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When someone is tempted, he shouldn’t say that God is tempting him. God can’t be tempted by evil, and God doesn’t tempt anyone. 14Everyone is tempted by his own desires as they lure him away and trap him. 15Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death.

James 1:13 word by word

Μηδεὶς πειραζόμενος λεγέτω ὅτι ἀπὸ θεοῦ πειράζομαι· ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἀπείραστός ἐστιν κακῶν, πειράζει δὲ αὐτὸς οὐδένα·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Let no manμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• whenὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• he is temptedπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: temptG3985
• ofἀπόapo · away fromG575
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• ·εἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• cannot be temptedἀπείραστοςapeirastos · untemptedG551
• with evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556
• neitherδέde · thenG1161
• heαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• any manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762

Cross-references for James 1:13

• James 1:2My brothers and sisters, be very happy when you are tested in different ways.
• Genesis 3:12The man answered, “That woman, the one you gave me, gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
• Isaiah 63:17O Lord, why do you let us wander from your ways and become so stubborn that we are unable to fear you? Return for the sake of your servants. They are the tribes that belong to you.
• Habakkuk 2:12“ ‘How horrible it will be for the one who builds a city by slaughter and founds a town by crime.’
• Romans 9:19You may ask me, “Why does God still find fault with anyone? Who can resist whatever God wants to do?”

Commentaries on James 1:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Let no man say - Lest the former sentiment should be misapplied, as the word temptation has two grand meanings, solicitation to sin, and trial from providential situation or circumstances, James, taking up the word in the former sense, after having used it in the latter, says: Let no man say, when he is tempted, (solicited to sin), I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he (thus) any man. Thus the author has explained…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God - See the remarks on the previous verse. The apostle here seems to have had his eye on whatever there was in trial of any kind to induce us to commit sin - whether by complaining, by murmuring, by apostacy, or by yielding to sin. So far as that was concerned, he said that no one should charge it on God. He did nothing in any way with a view to induce men to do evil. That was only an incidental thing…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. 13James is using diatribe, an old Greek rhetorical method where an imaginary opponent gives a different opinion. This lets him express and quickly counter the possible objections of the reader (also in 2:3, 16, 18; 4:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. when ... tempted--tried by solicitation to evil. Heretofore the "temptation" meant was that of probation by afflictions. Let no one fancy that God lays upon him an inevitable necessity of sinning. God does not send trials on you in order to make you worse, but to make you better (Jas 1:16, 17). Therefore do not sink under the pressure of evils (1Co 10:13). of God--by agency proceeding from God. The Greek is not "tempted by," but, "from," implying…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:13

• God Continued...
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Entice
• Fade
• Lack
• Lay
• Liberally
• Lust
• Pure
• Receive

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