New Living Translation
James 1:14
14Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.
James 1:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
- New International Version (NIV)but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Context of James 1:14
12God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. 16So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.
Read all of James 1James 1:14 word by word
ἕκαστος δὲ πειράζεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας ἐξελκόμενος καὶ δελεαζόμενος·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- every manἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
- is temptedπειράζωpeirazō · to test/tempt: temptG3985
- when he is drawn awayἐξέλκωexelkō · to drag out/awayG1828
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- his ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
- lustἐπιθυμίαepithumia · desireG1939
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- enticedδελεάζωdeleazō · to enticeG1185
Cross-references for James 1:14
- James 4:1What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?
- Genesis 6:5The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.
- Genesis 8:21And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.
- Joshua 7:21Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon, 200 silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.”
- 2 Samuel 11:2Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.
- 1 Kings 21:2One day Ahab said to Naboth, “Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it.”
- Job 31:9“If my heart has been seduced by a woman, or if I have lusted for my neighbor’s wife,
- Job 31:27and been secretly enticed in my heart to throw kisses at them in worship?
- Proverbs 4:23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
- Isaiah 44:20The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”
- Hosea 13:9“You are about to be destroyed, O Israel— yes, by me, your only helper.
- Matthew 5:28But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
- Matthew 15:18But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you.
- Mark 7:21For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,
- Mark 7:22adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.
- Romans 7:11Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me.
Commentaries on James 1:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14But every man is tempted - Successfully solicited to sin, when he is drawn away of his own lust - when, giving way to the evil propensity of his own heart, he does that to which he is solicited by the enemy of his soul. Among the rabbins we find some fine sayings on this subject. In Midrash hanaalam, fol. 20, and Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 17, it is said: "This is the custom of evil concupiscence, הרע יצר yetser hara : To-day it saith, Do this; to-morrow…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust - That is, the fountain or source of all temptation is in man himself. It is true that external inducements to sin may be placed before him, but they would have no force if there was not something in himself to which they corresponded, and over which they might have power. There must be some “lust;” some desire; some inclination; something which is unsatisfied now, which is made the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 It is not every man who suffers, that is blessed; but he who with patience and constancy goes through all difficulties in the way of duty. Afflictions cannot make us miserable, if it be not our own fault. The tried Christian shall be a crowned one. The crown of life is promised to all who have the love of God reigning in their hearts. Every soul that truly loves God, shall have its trials in this world fully recompensed in that world above…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14Desires can work like hooks used for fishing or traps set up for hunting. These desires tempt (or lure) us to do wrong things and pull us away from being faithful to God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. Every man, when tempted, is so through being drawn away of (again here, as in Jas 1:13, the Greek for "of" expresses the actual source, rather than the agent of temptation) his own lust. The cause of sin is in ourselves. Even Satan's suggestions do not endanger us before they are made our own. Each one has his own peculiar (so the Greek) lust, arising from his own temperament and habit. Lust flows from the original birth-sin in man, inherited from…Read the comment
Topics related to James 1:14
In the dictionaries
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
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