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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

Context of James 1:21

19My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 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. 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his 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 2:20In that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship.
• Isaiah 30:22Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!”
• Ezekiel 18:31Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel?
• Romans 13:12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
• Ephesians 4:22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
• Colossians 3:5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
• Hebrews 12:1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
• 1 Peter 2:1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
• James 4:8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
• Ezekiel 36:25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
• Ephesians 5:4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
• Psalms 25:9He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
• Isaiah 29:19Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
• Zephaniah 2:3Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger.

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