New Living Translation
James 1:6
6But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
- New International Version (NIV)But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
Context of James 1:6
4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
Read all of James 1James 1:6 word by word
αἰτείτω δὲ ἐν πίστει μηδὲν διακρινόμενος· ὁ γὰρ διακρινόμενος ἔοικεν κλύδωνι θαλάσσης ἀνεμιζομένῳ καὶ ῥιπιζομένῳ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- let him askαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
- nothingμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
- waveringδιακρίνωdiakrinō · to judge/doubtG1252
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- is likeεἴκωeikō · to resembleG1503
- a waveκλύδωνkludōn · wavesG2830
- of the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
- driven with the windἀνεμίζομαιanemizō · be wind-blownG416
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- tossedῥιπίζωrhipizō · to toss aboutG4494
Cross-references for James 1:6
- Matthew 21:22You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
- Mark 11:22Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God.
- 1 Timothy 2:8In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.
- Hebrews 11:6And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
- Genesis 49:4But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch.
- Ephesians 4:14Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.
- Hebrews 10:23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
- Hebrews 13:9So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.
- 2 Peter 2:17These people are as useless as dried-up springs or as mist blown away by the wind. They are doomed to blackest darkness.
- Jude 1:12When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.
Commentaries on James 1:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Let him ask in faith - Believing that God IS; that he has all good; and that he is ever ready to impart to his creatures whatever they need. Nothing wavering - · Not judging otherwise; having no doubt concerning the truth of these grand and fundamental principles, never supposing that God will permit him to ask in vain, when he asks sincerely and fervently. Let him not hesitate, let him not be irresolute; no man can believe too much good of God. Is like a…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6But let him ask in faith - See the passages referred to in James 1:5. Compare the Matthew 7:7 note, and Hebrews 11:6 note. We cannot hope to obtain any favor from God if there is not faith; and where, as in regard to the wisdom necessary to guide us, we are sure that it is in accordance with his will to grant it to us, we may come to him with the utmost confidence, the most entire assurance, that it will be granted. In this case, we should come to God…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6without doubting, because he who doubts: The Greek is often translated "Do not doubt, for a person who doubts," but it means someone torn between loyalty to God and the world (see 1:8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. ask in faith--that is, the persuasion that God can and will give. James begins and ends with faith. In the middle of the Epistle he removes the hindrances to faith and shows its true character [Bengel]. wavering--between belief and unbelief. Compare the case of the Israelites, who seemed to partly believe in God's power, but leaned more to unbelief by "limiting" it. On the other hand, compare Ac 10:20; Ro 4:20 ("staggered not ... through unbelief,"…Read the comment
Topics related to James 1:6
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
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