James 1:22

James 1:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

Context of James 1:22

20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, 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. Do 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 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

James 1:22 word by word

Γίνεσθε δὲ ποιηταὶ λόγου καὶ μὴ μόνον ἀκροαταὶ παραλογιζόμενοι ἑαυτούς.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• ye doersποιητήςpoiētēs · doerG4163
• of the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• notμήmē · notG3361
• hearersἀκροατήςakroatēs · hearerG202
• onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
• deceivingπαραλογίζομαιparalogizomai · to deceiveG3884
• your own selvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438

Cross-references for James 1:22

• James 4:17If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
• Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
• Matthew 12:50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
• Matthew 28:20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
• Luke 6:46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
• Luke 11:28He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
• Luke 12:47“The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.
• John 13:17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
• Romans 2:13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
• Philippians 4:8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
• Colossians 3:17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
• 1 John 2:3We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
• 1 John 3:7Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.
• 3 John 1:11Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
• Revelation 22:7“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
• James 1:26Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

Commentaries on James 1:22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22But be ye doers of the word - They had heard this doctrine; they had believed it; but they had put it to no practical use. They were downright Antinomians, who put a sort of stupid, inactive faith in the place of all moral righteousness. This is sufficiently evident from the second chapter. Deceiving your own selves - ̔· Imposing on your own selves by sophistical arguments; this is the meaning of the words. They had reasoned themselves into a state of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only - Obey the gospel, and do not merely listen to it. Compare Matthew 7:21. Deceiving your own selves - It is implied here, that by merely hearing the word but not doing it, they would deceive their own souls. The nature of this deception was this, that they would imagine that that was all which was required, whereas the main thing was that they should be obedient. If a man supposes that by a mere punctual…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-25Verses 22-25 If we heard a sermon every day of the week, and an angel from heaven were the preacher, yet, if we rested in hearing only, it would never bring us to heaven. Mere hearers are self-deceivers; and self-deceit will be found the worst deceit at last. If we flatter ourselves, it is our own fault; the truth, as it is in Jesus, flatters no man. Let the word of truth be carefully attended to, and it will set before us the corruption of our nature…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22Reading the scriptures was an important part of worship (Luke 4:16–17; Acts 13:13–16; Colossians 4:16; 1 Timothy 4:13). Most people could not read and there were very few copies available. So, they listened to the scriptures being read aloud during public worship.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. Qualification of the precept, "Be swift to hear": "Be ye doers ... not hearers only"; not merely "Do the word," but "Be doers" systematically and continually, as if this was your regular business. James here again refers to the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 7:21-29). deceiving your own selves--by the logical fallacy (the Greek implies this) that the mere hearing is all that is needed.Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:22

• Commandments
• Doer
• Hearers
• Hypocrisy
• Obedience
• Word of God
• Works

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