James 4:12

James 4:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
• New International Version (NIV)There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
• English Standard Version (ESV)There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
• New Living Translation (NLT)God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

Context of James 4:12

10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 11Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another? 13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

James 4:12 word by word

εἷς ἐστιν ὁ νομοθέτης καὶ κριτὴς ὁ δυνάμενος σῶσαι καὶ ἀπολέσαι· σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων τὸν πλησίον;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• There isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• lawgiverνομοθέτηςnomothetēs · lawgiverG3550
• is ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• to saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to destroyἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
• whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• judgestκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087

Cross-references for James 4:12

• Isaiah 33:22(For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us);
• Matthew 10:28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
• Luke 12:5But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
• Hebrews 7:25Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
• 1 Samuel 25:10Then Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays who break away each one from his master.
• Job 38:2“Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
• Romans 2:1Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
• Romans 9:20But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
• Romans 14:4Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

Commentaries on James 4:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12There is one lawgiver - , And judge, is added here by AB, about thirty others, with both the Syriac, Erpen's Arabic, the Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Slavonic, Vulgate, two copies of the Itala, Cyril of Antioch, Euthalius, Theophylact, and Cassiodorus. On this evidence Griesbach has received it into the text. The man who breaks the law, and teaches others so to do, thus in effect set himself up as a lawgiver and judge. But there is only one such lawgiver…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12There is one lawgiver - There is but one who has a right to give law. The reference here is undoubtedly to the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Legislator of the church. This, too, is a most important and vital principle, though one that has been most imperfectly understood and acted on. The tendency everywhere has been to enact other laws than those appointed by Christ - the laws of synods and councils - and to claim that Christians are bound to observe…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-17Verses 11-17 Our lips must be governed by the law of kindness, as well as truth and justice. Christians are brethren. And to break God's commands, is to speak evil of them, and to judge them, as if they laid too great a restraint upon us. We have the law of God, which is a rule to all; let us not presume to set up our own notions and opinions as a rule to those about us, and let us be careful that we be not condemned of the Lord. "Go to now," is a call to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-12These verses discuss the teaching in Matthew 7:1 and Luke 6:37 (see study note on James 1:22–23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. There is one lawgiver--The best authorities read in addition, "and judge." Translate, "There is One (alone) who is (at once) Lawgiver and Judge, (namely) He who is able to save and destroy." Implying, God alone is Lawgiver and therefore Judge, since it is He alone who can execute His judgments; our inability in this respect shows our presumption in trying to act as judges, as though we were God. who art thou, &c.--The order in the Greek is emphatic…Read the comment

Topics related to James 4:12

• Charitableness
• Death
• Uncharitableness

In the dictionaries

• Adulterer
• Amiss
• Consume
• Enmity
• Flee
• Hence
• Lust
• Persecution
• Resist
• Sin

Commentaries on James 4

• 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
• 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