James 4:15

James 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
• New International Version (NIV)Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

Context of James 4:15

13Come now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Though ye know not what shall be to morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Instead of that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 4:15 word by word

ἀντὶ τοῦ λέγειν ὑμᾶς· ἐὰν ὁ κύριος θελήσῃ καὶ ζήσομεν καὶ ποιήσομεν τοῦτο ἢ ἐκεῖνο.Read the interlinear

• thatἀντίanti · forG473
• yeὑμᾶςhumas · youG5209
• sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• ·καίkai · andG2532
• liveζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• thisτοῦτοtouto · thatG5124
• orἤē · orG2228
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565

Cross-references for James 4:15

• 2 Samuel 15:25And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:
• Proverbs 19:21There aremany devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
• Lamentations 3:37Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?
• Acts 18:21But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return to you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
• Romans 1:10Making request, if by any means now at length I may have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come to you.
• Romans 15:32That I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
• 1 Corinthians 4:19But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them who are puffed up, but the power.
• 1 Corinthians 16:7For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
• Hebrews 6:3And this will we do, if God permit.

Commentaries on James 4:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15For that ye ought to say - ̔· Instead of saying, or instead of which ye should say, If the Lord will, we shall live - I think St. James had another example from the rabbins in view, which is produced by Drusius, Gregory, Cartwright, and Schoettgen, on this clause: "The bride went up to her chamber, not knowing what was to befall her there." On which there is this comment: "No man should ever say that he will do this or that, without the condition If God…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15For that ye ought to say - Instead of what you do say, “we will go into such a city,” you ought rather to recognise your absolute dependence on God, and feel that life and success are subject to his will. The meaning is not that we ought always to be saying that in so many words, for this might become a mere ostentatious form, offensive by constant unmeaning repetition; but we are, in the proper way, to recognise our dependence on him, and to form all our…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. 15The Lord controls life and death (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6; Matthew 10:28).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. Literally, "instead of your saying," &c. This refers to "ye that say" (Jas 4:13). we shall live--The best manuscripts read, "We shall both live and do," &c. The boasters spoke as if life, action, and the particular kind of action were in their power, whereas all three depend entirely on the will of the Lord.Read the comment

Topics related to James 4:15

• Commandments
• Confidence
• Covetousness
• Death
• Life
• Presumption

In the dictionaries

• Adulterer
• Amiss
• Consume
• Enmity
• Flee
• Hence
• Lust
• Providence
• 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