James 1:8

James 1:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
• New International Version (NIV)Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
• English Standard Version (ESV)he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
• New King James Version (NKJV)he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Context of James 1:8

6But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that person ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9Now the brother or sister of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10but the rich person is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.

James 1:8 word by word

ἀνὴρ δίψυχος ἀκατάστατος ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

• double-mindedδίψυχοςdipsuchos · double-mindedG1374
• manἀνήρanēr · manG435
• unstableἀκατάστατοςakatastatos · restlessG182
• in allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• his waysὁδόςhodos · roadG3598

Cross-references for James 1:8

• James 4:8Come close to God and He will come close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
• 1 Kings 18:21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to struggle with the two choices? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him so much as a word.
• 2 Kings 17:33They feared the Lord, yet they were serving their own gods in accordance with the custom of the nations from among whom they had been taken into exile.
• Isaiah 29:13Then the Lord said, “Because this people approaches Me with their words And honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of the commandment of men that is taught;
• Hosea 7:8Ephraim is himself thrown about with the nations; Ephraim has become a round loaf not turned over.
• Hosea 10:2Their heart is deceitful; Now they must suffer for their guilt. The Lord will break down their altars And destroy their memorial stones.
• Matthew 6:22“The eye is the lamp of the body; so then, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.
• 2 Peter 2:14having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having hearts trained in greed, accursed children;
• 2 Peter 3:16as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Commentaries on James 1:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8A double-minded man - · The man of two souls, who has one for earth, and another for heaven; who wishes to secure both worlds; he will not give up earth, and he is loth to let heaven go. This was a usual term among the Jews, to express the man who attempted to worship God, and yet retained the love of the creature. Rabbi Tanchum, fol. 84, on Deuteronomy 26:17, said: "Behold, the Scripture exhorts the Israelites, and tells them when they pray, לבבות שתי…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8A double minded man - The word here used, ́ dipsuchosoccurs only here and in James 4:8. It means, properly, one who has two souls; then one who is wavering or inconstant. It is applicable to a man who has no settled principles; who is controlled by passion; who is influenced by popular feeling; who is now inclined to one opinion or course of conduct, and now to another. Is unstable in all his ways - That is, not merely in regard to prayer, the point…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8He is a double-minded man: James might have created the Greek word used here. He emphasizes the importance of trusting only in God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. double-minded--literally, "double-souled," the one soul directed towards God, the other to something else. The Greek favors Alford's translation, "He (the waverer, Jas 1:6) is a man double-minded, unstable," &c.; or better, Beza's. The words in this Jas 1:8 are in apposition with "that man," Jas 1:7; thus the "us," which is not in the original, will not need to be supplied, "A man double-minded, unstable in all his ways!" The word for "double-minded"…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:8

• Character
• Heart
• Hypocrisy
• Indecision
• Instability

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