James 4:6

James 4:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
• New International Version (NIV)But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

Context of James 4:6

4You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

James 4:6 word by word

μείζονα δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν· διὸ λέγει· ὁ θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται, ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• he givethδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• moreμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• Whereforeδιόdio · thereforeG1352
• he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• resistethἀντιτάσσωantitassomai · to resistG498
• the proudὑπερήφανοςhuperēphanos · arrogantG5244
• unto the humbleταπεινόςtapeinos · lowlyG5011

Cross-references for James 4:6

• Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so they can worship me.
• Exodus 15:9“The enemy boasted, ‘I will chase them and catch up with them. I will plunder them and consume them. I will flash my sword; my powerful hand will destroy them.’
• Exodus 18:11I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.”
• 1 Samuel 2:3“Stop acting so proud and haughty! Don’t speak with such arrogance! For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done; he will judge your actions.
• Job 22:29If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’ God will save them.
• Job 40:10All right, put on your glory and splendor, your honor and majesty.
• Psalms 138:6Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.
• Proverbs 3:34The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble.
• Proverbs 6:16There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests:
• Proverbs 29:23Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.
• Isaiah 2:11Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment.
• Isaiah 10:8He will say, ‘Each of my princes will soon be a king.
• Isaiah 16:6We have heard about proud Moab— about its pride and arrogance and rage. But all that boasting has disappeared.
• Daniel 4:37“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”
• Daniel 5:20But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.
• Matthew 23:12But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Commentaries on James 4:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6But he giveth more grace - , A greater benefit, than all the goods that the world can bestow; for he gives genuine happiness, and this the world cannot confer. May this be St. James' meaning? God resisteth the proud - · Sets himself in battle array against him. Giveth grace unto the humble - The sure way to please God is to submit to the dispensation of his grace and providence; and when a man acknowledges him in all his ways, he will direct all his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6But he giveth more grace - The reference here is undoubtedly to God. Some have regarded this clause as a continuation of the quotation in the previous verse, but it is rather to be considered as a declaration of the apostle himself. The writer had just spoken of envy, and of the crimes which grew out of it. He thought of the wars and commotions of the earth, and of the various lusts which reigned among men. In the contemplation of these things, it seems…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-10James explains the causes of conflict among people: love for the world, divided loyalty, and arrogant criticism (4:11–12). He gives instructions that will fix these problems and lead to peace.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. But--"Nay, rather." he--God. giveth more grace--ever increasing grace; the farther ye depart from "envy" [Bengel]. he saith--The same God who causes His spirit to dwell in believers (Jas 4:5), by the Spirit also speaks in Scripture. The quotation here is probably from Pr 3:34; as probably Pr 21:10 was generally referred to in Jas 4:5. In Hebrew it is "scorneth the scorners," namely, those who think "Scripture speaketh in vain." resisteth--literally…Read the comment

Topics related to James 4:6

• Gifts from God
• Humility
• Pride
• Quotations and Allusions

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Adulterer
• Amiss
• Consume
• Enmity
• Flee
• Hence
• Lust
• Resist

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