James 4:7

James 4:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
• New International Version (NIV)Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
• New Living Translation (NLT)So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Context of James 4:7

5Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 6But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

James 4:7 word by word

ὑποτάγητε οὖν τῷ θεῷ. ἀντίστητε δὲ τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ φεύξεται ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Submit yourselvesὑποτάσσωhupotassō · to subjectG5293
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• to Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• Resistἀνθίστημιanthistēmi · to opposeG436
• the devilδιάβολοςdiabolos · devilish/the DevilG1228
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• he will fleeφεύγωpheugō · to fleeG5343
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• youσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for James 4:7

• 1 Samuel 3:18Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”
• 2 Samuel 15:26But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”
• 2 Kings 1:13Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight.
• 2 Chronicles 30:8Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you.
• 2 Chronicles 33:12Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,
• Job 1:21And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
• Job 40:3Then Job answered the Lord and said:
• Job 42:1Then Job answered the Lord and said:
• Psalms 32:3When I kept silent, my bones grew old Through my groaning all the day long.
• Psalms 66:3Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
• Psalms 68:30Rebuke the beasts of the reeds, The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, Till everyone submits himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the peoples who delight in war.
• Jeremiah 13:18Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Humble yourselves; Sit down, For your rule shall collapse, the crown of your glory.”
• Daniel 4:25They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.
• Matthew 11:29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
• Acts 9:6So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
• Acts 16:29Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

Commentaries on James 4:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Submit - to God - Continue to bow to all his decisions, and to all his dispensations. Resist the devil - He cannot conquer you if you continue to resist. Strong as he is, God never permits him to conquer the man who continues to resist him; he cannot force the human will. He who, in the terrible name of Jesus, opposes even the devil himself, is sure to have a speedy and glorious conquest. He flees from that name, and from his conquering blood.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Submit yourselves therefore to God - That is, in his arrangements for obtaining his favor. Yield to what he has judged necessary for your welfare in the life that is, and your salvation in the life to come. The duty here enjoined is that of entire acquiescence in the arrangements of God, whether in his providence or grace. All these are for our good, and submission to them is required by the spirit of true humility. The object of the command here, and in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Resist the devil: See also Ephesians 6:11; 1 Peter 5:8.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Submit to ... God--so ye shall be among "the humble," Jas 4:6; also Jas 4:10; 1Pe 5:6. Resist ... devil--Under his banner pride and envy are enlisted in the world; resist his temptations to these. Faith, humble prayers, and heavenly wisdom, are the weapons of resistance. The language is taken from warfare. "Submit" as a good soldier puts himself in complete subjection to his captain. "Resist," stand bravely against. he will flee--Translate, "he shall…Read the comment

Topics related to James 4:7

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Commandments
• Resignation
• Satan
• Temptation
• War

In the dictionaries

• God
• Adulterer
• Amiss
• Consume
• Enmity
• Flee
• Hence
• Lust
• Resist
• Satan

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