James 1:21

James 1:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Context of James 1:21

19Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. 20For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. 22But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 23For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror.

James 1:21 word by word

διὸ ἀποθέμενοι πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν καὶ περισσείαν κακίας ἐν πραΰτητι δέξασθε τὸν ἔμφυτον λόγον τὸν δυνάμενον σῶσαι τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Whereforeδιόdio · thereforeG1352
• lay apartἀποτίθημιapotithēmi · to put asideG659
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• filthinessῥυπαρίαrhuparia · filthG4507
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• superfluityπερισσείαperisseia · excessG4050
• of naughtinessκακίαkakia · evilG2549
• and receiveδέχομαιdechomai · to receiveG1209
• withἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• meeknessπραΰτηςprautēs · gentlenessG4240
• the engraftedἔμφυτοςemphutos · implanted/ingraftedG1721
• wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• is ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• to saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• soulsψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590

Cross-references for James 1:21

• Isaiah 2:20At that time men will throw their silver and gold idols, which they made for themselves to worship, into the caves where rodents and bats live,
• Isaiah 30:22You will desecrate your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away as if they were a menstrual rag, saying to them, “Get out!”
• Ezekiel 18:31Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why should you die, O house of Israel?
• Romans 13:12The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light.
• Ephesians 4:22You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires,
• Colossians 3:5So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.
• Hebrews 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,
• 1 Peter 2:1So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
• James 4:8Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.
• Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God.
• Ephesians 5:4Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving.
• Psalms 25:9May he show the humble what is right! May he teach the humble his way!
• Isaiah 29:19The downtrodden will again rejoice in the Lord; the poor among humankind will take delight in the Holy One of Israel.
• Isaiah 61:1The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has chosen me. He has commissioned me to encourage the poor, to help the brokenhearted, to decree the release of captives, and the freeing of prisoners,
• Zephaniah 2:3Seek the Lord’s favor, all you humble people of the land who have obeyed his commands! Strive to do what is right! Strive to be humble! Maybe you will be protected on the day of the Lord’s angry judgment.

Commentaries on James 1:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21All filthiness - ̔ . This word signifies any impurity that cleaves to the body; but applied to the mind, it implies all impure and unholy affections, such as those spoken of James 1:15, which pollute the soul; in this sense it is used by the best Greek writers. Superfluity of naughtiness - · The overflowing of wickedness. Perhaps there is an allusion here to the part cut off in circumcision, which was the emblem of impure desire; and to lessen that…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Wherefore - In view of the fact that God has begotten us for his own service; in view of the fact that excited feeling tends only to wrong, let us lay aside all that is evil, and submit ourselves wholly to the influence of truth. Lay apart all filthiness - The word here rendered filthiness, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, It means properly filth; and then is applied to evil conduct considered as disgusting or offensive. Sin may be contemplated…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. 21get rid (literally putting off) of all moral filth (compare Ephesians 4:22; 1 Peter 2:1). the word planted in you, which can save your souls: James emphasizes that Christians should respond to a word God has placed within us. This fulfills Jeremiah 31:31–34. The sould refers to the whole person (also in James 5:20; see Genesis 2:7; 1 Peter 3:20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. lay apart--"once for all" (so the Greek): as a filthy garment. Compare Joshua's filthy garments, Zec 3:3, 5; Re 7:14. "Filthiness" is cleansed away by hearing the word (Joh 15:3). superfluity of naughtiness--excess (for instance, the intemperate spirit implied in "wrath," Jas 1:19, 20), which arises from malice (our natural, evil disposition towards one another). 1Pe 2:1 has the very same words in the Greek. So "malice" is the translation, Ep 4:31…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:21

• Commandments
• Gospel
• Holiness
• Malice
• Meekness
• Salvation
• 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