James 4:7

James 4:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
• New International Version (NIV)Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Context of James 4:7

5Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says, “The spirit that God caused to live within us has an envious yearning”? 6But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into despair.

James 4:7 word by word

ὑποτάγητε οὖν τῷ θεῷ. ἀντίστητε δὲ τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ φεύξεται ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Submit yourselvesὑποτάσσωhupotassō · to subjectG5293
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• to Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• Resistἀνθίστημιanthistēmi · to opposeG436
• the devilδιάβολοςdiabolos · devilish/the DevilG1228
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he will fleeφεύγωpheugō · to fleeG5343
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• youσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for James 4:7

• 1 Samuel 3:18So Samuel told him everything. He did not hold back anything from him. Eli said, “The Lord will do what he pleases.”
• 2 Samuel 15:26However, if he should say, ‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.”
• 2 Kings 1:13The king sent a third captain and his fifty soldiers. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. He begged for mercy, “Prophet, please have respect for my life and for the lives of these fifty servants of yours.
• 2 Chronicles 30:8Now, don’t be stubborn like your fathers! Submit to the Lord and come to his sanctuary which he has permanently consecrated. Serve the Lord your God so that he might relent from his raging anger.
• 2 Chronicles 33:12In his pain Manasseh asked the Lord his God for mercy and truly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors.
• Job 1:21He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!”
• Job 40:3Then Job answered the Lord:
• Job 42:1Then Job answered the Lord:
• Psalms 32:3When I refused to confess my sin, my whole body wasted away, while I groaned in pain all day long.
• Psalms 66:3Say to God: “How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power your enemies cower in fear before you.
• Psalms 68:30Sound your battle cry against the wild beast of the reeds, and the nations that assemble like a herd of calves led by bulls! They humble themselves and offer gold and silver as tribute. God scatters the nations that like to do battle.
• Jeremiah 13:18The Lord told me, “Tell the king and the queen mother, ‘Surrender your thrones, for your glorious crowns will be removed from your heads.
• Daniel 4:25You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.
• Matthew 11:29Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
• Acts 9:6But stand up and enter the city and you will be told what you must do.”
• Acts 16:29Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell down trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas.

Commentaries on James 4:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Submit - to God - Continue to bow to all his decisions, and to all his dispensations. Resist the devil - He cannot conquer you if you continue to resist. Strong as he is, God never permits him to conquer the man who continues to resist him; he cannot force the human will. He who, in the terrible name of Jesus, opposes even the devil himself, is sure to have a speedy and glorious conquest. He flees from that name, and from his conquering blood.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God - That is, in his arrangements for obtaining his favor. Yield to what he has judged necessary for your welfare in the life that is, and your salvation in the life to come. The duty here enjoined is that of entire acquiescence in the arrangements of God, whether in his providence or grace. All these are for our good, and submission to them is required by the spirit of true humility. The object of the command here, and in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Resist the devil: See also Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Submit to ... God--so ye shall be among "the humble," Jas 4:6; also Jas 4:10; 1Pe 5:6. Resist ... devil--Under his banner pride and envy are enlisted in the world; resist his temptations to these. Faith, humble prayers, and heavenly wisdom, are the weapons of resistance. The language is taken from warfare. "Submit" as a good soldier puts himself in complete subjection to his captain. "Resist," stand bravely against. he will flee--Translate, "he shall…Read the comment

Topics related to James 4:7

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Commandments
• Resignation
• Satan
• Temptation
• War

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Adulterer
• Amiss
• Consume
• Enmity
• Flee
• Hence
• Lust
• Resist

Commentaries on James 4

• 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
• 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