New Living Translation
James 1:17
17Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
James 1:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
- New International Version (NIV)Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Context of James 1:17
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. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. 18He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. 19Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
Read all of James 1James 1:17 word by word
πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ καὶ πᾶν δώρημα τέλειον ἄνωθέν ἐστιν καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων παρ᾽ ᾧ οὐκ ἔνι παραλλαγὴ ἢ τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18
- giftδόσιςdosis · giftG1394
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- perfectτέλειοςteleios · perfectG5046
- giftδώρημαdōrēma · free giftG1434
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- from aboveἄνωθενanōthen · from above/againG509
- and cometh downκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
- fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
- the Fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- of lightsφῶςphōs · lightG5457
- withπαράpara · from/with/besideG3844
- whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- isἔνιeni · there isG1762
- noοὐou · noG3756
- variablenessπαραλλαγήparallagē · variationG3883
- neitherἤē · orG2228
- shadowἀποσκίασμαaposkiasma · shadowG644
- of turningτροπήtropē · turningG5157
Cross-references for James 1:17
- James 1:5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
- James 3:15For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
- Genesis 41:16“It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”
- Exodus 4:11Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord?
- Exodus 31:3I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.
- Exodus 36:1“The Lord has gifted Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other skilled craftsmen with wisdom and ability to perform any task involved in building the sanctuary. Let them construct and furnish the Tabernacle, just as the Lord has commanded.”
- Numbers 11:17I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.
- 1 Chronicles 22:12And may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 29:19Give my son Solomon the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees, and to do everything necessary to build this Temple, for which I have made these preparations.”
- 2 Chronicles 1:11God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people—
- Proverbs 2:6For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
- Isaiah 28:26The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding.
- Daniel 2:21He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars.
- Matthew 7:11So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.
- Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.
- Matthew 13:11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.
Commentaries on James 1:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above - Whatever is good is from God; whatever is evil is from man himself. As from the sun, which is the father or fountain of light, all light comes; so from God, who is the infinite Fountain, Father, and Source of good, all good comes. And whatever can be called good, or pure, or light, or excellence of any kind, must necessarily spring from him, as he is the only source of all goodness and perfection…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Every good gift and every perfect gift - The difference between good and perfect here, it is not easy to mark accurately. It may be that the former means that which is benevolent in its character and tendency; the latter that which is entire, where there is nothing even apparently wanting to complete it; where it can be regarded as good as a whole and in all its parts. The general sense is, that God is the author of all good. Every thing that is good on…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. 17God is the Father of the heavenly lights (see footnote). This is because he created everything in the sky (Genesis 1:3, 14–17). Unlike the moving lights in the sky, God never changes or casts a shifting shadow.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. gift ... gift--not the same words in Greek: the first, the act of giving, or the gift in its initiatory stage; the second, the thing given, the boon, when perfected. As the "good gift" stands in contrast to "sin" in its initiatory stage (Jas 1:15), so the "perfect boon" is in contrast to "sin when it is finished," bringing forth death (2Pe 1:3). from above--(Compare Jas 3:15). Father of lights--Creator of the lights in heaven (compare Job 38:28…Read the comment
Topics related to James 1:17
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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