James 1:19

James 1:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
• New International Version (NIV)My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
• New King James Version (NKJV)So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

Context of James 1:19

17Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18In the exercise of His will He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 20for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. 21Therefore, ridding yourselves of all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

James 1:19 word by word

Ἴστε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί· ἔστω δὲ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ταχὺς εἰς τὸ ἀκοῦσαι, βραδὺς εἰς τὸ λαλῆσαι, βραδὺς εἰς ὀργήν.Read the interlinear

• my belovedἀγαπητόςagapētos · belovedG27
• brothersἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• Now everyoneπᾶςpas · allG3956
• Now everyoneἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• must be quickταχύςtachus · quickG5036
• to hearἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• slowβραδύςbradus · slowG1021
• to speakλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980
• to angerὀργήorgē · wrathG3709

Cross-references for James 1:19

• Nehemiah 8:2Then Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
• Nehemiah 9:3While they stood in their place, they read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God.
• Proverbs 8:32“Now then, sons, listen to me, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
• Ecclesiastes 5:1Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and approach to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil.
• Mark 2:2And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer space, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them.
• Mark 12:37David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.
• Luke 15:1Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him.
• Luke 19:48and yet they could not find anything that they might do, for all the people were hanging on to every word He said.
• Acts 2:42They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
• Acts 10:33So I sent men to you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear everything that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
• Acts 13:42As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people repeatedly begged to have these things spoken to them the next Sabbath.
• Acts 17:11Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.
• James 1:26If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
• James 3:1Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment.
• Proverbs 10:19When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable, But one who restrains his lips is wise.

Commentaries on James 1:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Swift to hear - Talk little and work much, is a rabbinical adage. - Pirkey Aboth, cap. i. 15. The righteous speak little, and do much; the wicked speak much, and do nothing. - Bava Metzia, fol. 87. The son of Sirach says, cap. v. 11: ͅ , ͅ . "Be swift to hear, and with deep consideration give answer." Slow to wrath - "There are four kinds of dispositions," says the Midrash hanaalam, cap. v. 11: "First, Those who are easily incensed, and easily pacified…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Wherefore, my beloved brethren - The connection is this: “since God is the only source of good; since he tempts no man; and since by his mere sovereign goodness, without any claim on our part, we have had the high honor conferred on us of being made the first-fruits of his creatures, we ought to be ready to hear his voice, to subdue all our evil passions, and to bring our souls to entire practical obedience.” The necessity of obedience, or the doctrine…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-21Verses 19-21 Instead of blaming God under our trials, let us open our ears and hearts to learn what he teaches by them. And if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. The worst thing we can bring to any dispute, is anger. Here is an exhortation to lay apart, and to cast off as a filthy garment, all sinful practices. This must reach to sins of thought and affection, as well as of speech and practice; to every thing corrupt and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-27James discusses three topics from 1:2–11 and adds new insights to each. External challenges (in 1:2–4) become internal temptations (in 1:11–18). The need for wisdom (in 1:5–8) connects to controlling angry speech (in 1:19–21). Poverty and wealth relate to acting on God's word (1:22–25). This section then summarizes these ideas (1:26–27).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. Wherefore--as your evil is of yourselves, but your good from God. However, the oldest manuscripts and versions read thus: "Ye know it (so Ep 5:5; He 12:17), my beloved brethren; BUT (consequently) let every man be swift to hear," that is, docile in receiving "the word of truth" (Jas 1:18, 21). The true method of hearing is treated in Jas 1:21-27, and Jas 2:1-26. slow to speak--(Pr 10:19; 17:27, 28; Ec 5:2). A good way of escaping one kind of…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:19

• Anger
• Commandments
• Hearers
• Humility
• Meekness
• Patience
• Prudence
• Speaking
• 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