James 1:1

James 1:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
• English Standard Version (ESV)James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.
• New King James Version (NKJV)James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.
• New Living Translation (NLT)This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!

Context of James 1:1

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

James 1:1 word by word

Ἰάκωβος θεοῦ καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος ταῖς δώδεκα φυλαῖς ταῖς ἐν τῇ διασπορᾷ χαίρειν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JamesἸάκωβοςIakōbos · JamesG2385
• a servantδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• of the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• to theφυλήphulē · tribeG5443
• twelveδώδεκαdōdeka · twelveG1427
• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• scattered abroadδιασποράdiaspora · dispersionG1290
• greetingχαίρωchairō · to rejoiceG5463

Cross-references for James 1:1

• Matthew 10:3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
• Matthew 13:55“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
• Mark 3:18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot
• Luke 6:15Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
• Acts 1:13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
• Acts 12:17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.
• Acts 15:13When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.
• Acts 21:18The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present.
• Galatians 1:19I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother.
• Galatians 2:9James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
• Jude 1:1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:
• John 12:26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
• Romans 1:1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
• Philippians 1:1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
• 2 Peter 1:1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
• Exodus 24:4Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.

Commentaries on James 1:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1James, a servant of God - For an account of this person, or rather for the conjectures concerning him, see the preface. He neither calls himself an apostle, nor does he say that he was the brother of Christ, or bishop of Jerusalem; whether he was James the elder, son of Zebedee, or James the less, called our Lord's brother, or some other person of the same name, we know not. The assertions of writers concerning these points are worthy of no regard. The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1James, a servant of God - On the meaning of the word “servant” in this connection, see the note at Romans 1:1. Compare the note at Philemon 1:16. It is remarkable that James does not call himself an apostle; but this does not prove that the writer of the Epistle was not an apostle, for the same omission occurs in the Epistle of John, and in the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians, the Thessalonians, and to Philemon. It is remarkable, also, considering the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1This epistle of James is one of the most instructive writings in the New Testament. Being chiefly directed against particular errors at that time brought in among the Jewish Christians, it does not contain the same full doctrinal statements as the other epistles, but it presents an admirable summary of the practical duties of all believers. The leading truths of Christianity are set forth throughout; and on attentive consideration, it will be found…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1James: See “James, Brother of Jesus” Profile. By calling his readers the twelve tribes, James connects Christianity to the history of Israel. The exile to Babylon scattered the twelve tribes. But Jewish interpreters hoped God would reunite them (see Psalms of Solomon 17:26–28; Testament of Benjamin 9:2; compare Ezekiel 37:15–28; Matthew 19:28). Christ has spiritually ended Israel’s exile and reunited the tribes. the Dispersion (Greek diaspora): Jews…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1This is called by Eusebius ([Ecclesiastical History, 2.23], about the year 330 A.D.) the first of the Catholic Epistles, that is, the Epistles intended for general circulation, as distinguished from Paul's Epistles, which were addressed to particular churches or individuals. In the oldest manuscripts of the New Testament extant, they stand before the Epistles of Paul. Of them, two only are mentioned by Eusebius as universally acknowledged (Homologoumena)…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:1

• James
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Jesus Christ
• Scattered Abroad
• Dispersion
• Entice

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