James 1:6

James 1:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
• New International Version (NIV)But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

Context of James 1:6

4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:6 word by word

αἰτείτω δὲ ἐν πίστει μηδὲν διακρινόμενος· ὁ γὰρ διακρινόμενος ἔοικεν κλύδωνι θαλάσσης ἀνεμιζομένῳ καὶ ῥιπιζομένῳ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Butδέde · thenG1161
• let him askαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• nothingμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
• waveringδιακρίνωdiakrinō · to judge/doubtG1252
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• is likeεἴκωeikō · to resembleG1503
• a waveκλύδωνkludōn · wavesG2830
• of the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
• driven with the windἀνεμίζομαιanemizō · be wind-blownG416
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• tossedῥιπίζωrhipizō · to toss aboutG4494

Cross-references for James 1:6

• Matthew 21:22And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
• Mark 11:22So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.
• 1 Timothy 2:8I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
• Hebrews 11:6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
• Genesis 49:4Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it— He went up to my couch.
• Ephesians 4:14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
• Hebrews 10:23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
• Hebrews 13:9Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
• 2 Peter 2:17These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
• Jude 1:12These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;

Commentaries on James 1:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Let him ask in faith - Believing that God IS; that he has all good; and that he is ever ready to impart to his creatures whatever they need. Nothing wavering - · Not judging otherwise; having no doubt concerning the truth of these grand and fundamental principles, never supposing that God will permit him to ask in vain, when he asks sincerely and fervently. Let him not hesitate, let him not be irresolute; no man can believe too much good of God. Is like a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6But let him ask in faith - See the passages referred to in James 1:5. Compare the Matthew 7:7 note, and Hebrews 11:6 note. We cannot hope to obtain any favor from God if there is not faith; and where, as in regard to the wisdom necessary to guide us, we are sure that it is in accordance with his will to grant it to us, we may come to him with the utmost confidence, the most entire assurance, that it will be granted. In this case, we should come to God…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6without doubting, because he who doubts: The Greek is often translated "Do not doubt, for a person who doubts," but it means someone torn between loyalty to God and the world (see 1:8).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. ask in faith--that is, the persuasion that God can and will give. James begins and ends with faith. In the middle of the Epistle he removes the hindrances to faith and shows its true character [Bengel]. wavering--between belief and unbelief. Compare the case of the Israelites, who seemed to partly believe in God's power, but leaned more to unbelief by "limiting" it. On the other hand, compare Ac 10:20; Ro 4:20 ("staggered not ... through unbelief,"…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:6

• Character
• Faith
• Heart
• Ignorance
• Instability
• Prayer
• Unbelief
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Entice
• Fade
• Lack
• Lay
• Liberally
• Lust
• Pure
• Receive
• Religion

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