James 1:18

James 1:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
• New International Version (NIV)He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

Context of James 1:18

16So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 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. He 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. 20Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

James 1:18 word by word

βουληθεὶς ἀπεκύησεν ἡμᾶς λόγῳ ἀληθείας, εἰς τὸ εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἀπαρχήν τινα τῶν αὐτοῦ κτισμάτων.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Of his own willβούλομαιboulomai · to planG1014
• begat heἀποκυέωapokueō · to generateG616
• usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• with the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• ·εἰςeis · towardG1519
• should beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a kindτιςtis · oneG5100
• of firstfruitsἀπαρχήaparchē · firstfruitsG536
• of hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• creaturesκτίσμαktisma · creatureG2938

Cross-references for James 1:18

• John 1:13They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
• John 3:3Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
• Romans 4:17That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
• Romans 8:29For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
• Romans 9:15For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”
• Ephesians 2:4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
• Colossians 1:20and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:13As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.
• 1 Peter 1:3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,
• James 1:21So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
• 1 Corinthians 4:15For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.
• Ephesians 1:12God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.
• 1 Peter 1:23For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.
• 1 John 3:9Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.
• Leviticus 23:10“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you enter the land I am giving you and you harvest its first crops, bring the priest a bundle of grain from the first cutting of your grain harvest.
• Jeremiah 2:3In those days Israel was holy to the Lord, the first of his children. All who harmed his people were declared guilty, and disaster fell on them. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Commentaries on James 1:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Of his own will begat he us - God's will here is opposed to the lust of man, James 1:15; his truth, the means of human salvation, to the sinful means referred to in the above verse; and the new creatures, to the sin conceived and brought forth, as above. As the will of God is essentially good, all its productions must be good also; as it is infinitely pure, all its productions must be holy. The word or doctrine of truth, what St. Paul calls the word of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Of his own will - Greek “willing.” ̀ boulētheisThe idea is, that the fact that we are “begotten” to be his children is to be traced solely to his will. He purposed it, and it was done. The antecedent in the case on which all depended was the sovereign will of God. See this sentiment explained in the notes at John 1:13. Compare the notes at Ephesians 1:5. When it is said, however, that he has done this by his mere will, it is not to be inferred that there…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. 18The word of truth is the good news about Jesus (1:21–23; 1 Peter 1:23–25). give us birth: The image of a mother giving birth shows the full extent of God’s parental love for his children (compare Luke 13:34; John 1:13; 3:3–8; 1 Peter 1:23). a kind of firstfruits (compare Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:9–14; 1 Corinthians 15:20; Colossians 1:18): Christians are examples of the ultimate restoration of all creation (Romans 8:20–22).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. (Joh 1:13). The believer's regeneration is the highest example of nothing but good proceeding from God. Of his own will--Of his own good pleasure (which shows that it is God's essential nature to do good, not evil), not induced by any external cause. begat he us--spiritually: a once-for-all accomplished act (1Pe 1:3, 23). In contrast to "lust when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin, and sin ... death" (Jas 1:15). Life follows naturally in…Read the comment

Topics related to James 1:18

• Blessing
• First Fruits
• God Continued...
• Gospel
• Predestination
• Regeneration
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• Entice
• Fade
• Lack
• Lay
• Liberally
• Lust
• Pure
• Receive
• Religion
• Swift

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