James 4:12

James 4:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
• New International Version (NIV)There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
• English Standard Version (ESV)There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
• New King James Version (NKJV)There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

Context of James 4:12

10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. 11Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? 13Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

James 4:12 word by word

εἷς ἐστιν ὁ νομοθέτης καὶ κριτὴς ὁ δυνάμενος σῶσαι καὶ ἀπολέσαι· σὺ δὲ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων τὸν πλησίον;¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• There isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• lawgiverνομοθέτηςnomothetēs · lawgiverG3550
• is ableδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• to saveσῴζωsōzō · to saveG4982
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• to destroyἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
• whoτίςtis · which?G5101
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• judgestκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
• anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087

Cross-references for James 4:12

• Isaiah 33:22For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us.
• Matthew 10:28“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
• Luke 12:5But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.
• Hebrews 7:25Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
• 1 Samuel 25:10“Who is this fellow David?” Nabal sneered to the young men. “Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters.
• Job 38:2“Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
• Romans 2:1You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.
• Romans 9:20No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”
• Romans 14:4Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.

Commentaries on James 4:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12There is one lawgiver - , And judge, is added here by AB, about thirty others, with both the Syriac, Erpen's Arabic, the Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Slavonic, Vulgate, two copies of the Itala, Cyril of Antioch, Euthalius, Theophylact, and Cassiodorus. On this evidence Griesbach has received it into the text. The man who breaks the law, and teaches others so to do, thus in effect set himself up as a lawgiver and judge. But there is only one such lawgiver…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12There is one lawgiver - There is but one who has a right to give law. The reference here is undoubtedly to the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Legislator of the church. This, too, is a most important and vital principle, though one that has been most imperfectly understood and acted on. The tendency everywhere has been to enact other laws than those appointed by Christ - the laws of synods and councils - and to claim that Christians are bound to observe…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-17Verses 11-17 Our lips must be governed by the law of kindness, as well as truth and justice. Christians are brethren. And to break God's commands, is to speak evil of them, and to judge them, as if they laid too great a restraint upon us. We have the law of God, which is a rule to all; let us not presume to set up our own notions and opinions as a rule to those about us, and let us be careful that we be not condemned of the Lord. "Go to now," is a call to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-12These verses discuss the teaching in Matthew 7:1 and Luke 6:37 (see study note on James 1:22–23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. There is one lawgiver--The best authorities read in addition, "and judge." Translate, "There is One (alone) who is (at once) Lawgiver and Judge, (namely) He who is able to save and destroy." Implying, God alone is Lawgiver and therefore Judge, since it is He alone who can execute His judgments; our inability in this respect shows our presumption in trying to act as judges, as though we were God. who art thou, &c.--The order in the Greek is emphatic…Read the comment

Topics related to James 4:12

• Charitableness
• Death
• Uncharitableness

In the dictionaries

• Adulterer
• Amiss
• Consume
• Enmity
• Flee
• Hence
• Lust
• Persecution
• Resist
• Sin

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