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.
• New International Version (NIV)James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
• English Standard Version (ESV)James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: 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 bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. 2My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

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 the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
• Matthew 13:55Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
• Mark 3:18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite;
• Luke 6:15Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot;
• Acts 1:13And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.
• Acts 12:17But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.
• Acts 15:13And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me:
• Acts 21:18On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.
• Galatians 1:19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.
• Galatians 2:9and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
• Jude 1:1Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:
• John 12:26If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
• Romans 1:1Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
• Philippians 1:1Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
• 2 Peter 1:1Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
• Exodus 24:4And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And he rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars according to 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
• Scattered Abroad
• Dispersion
• Entice
• Fade
• Lack
• Lay
• Liberally

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