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, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17Therefore whoever knows the right thing to do and does not do it—for 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• For thatἀντίanti · forG473
• yeσύsu · youG4771
• to sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• the Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• ·καίkai · andG2532
• we shall liveζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• orἤē · orG2228
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565

Cross-references for James 4:15

• 2 Samuel 15:25But the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in Adonai’s eyes, He will bring me back, and let me see it and His dwelling.
• Proverbs 19:21Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but the counsel of Adonai will stand.
• Lamentations 3:37Who speaks and it comes to pass unless the Lord has decreed it?
• Acts 18:21instead taking leave of them while saying, “God willing, I’ll return to you again.” He set sail from Ephesus.
• Romans 1:10always pleading in my prayers, if somehow by God’s will now at last I will be granted a good journey to come to you.
• Romans 15:32Then, God willing, I may come to you in joy, and together with you find rest.
• 1 Corinthians 4:19But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing; and I will find out not the talk of those who are puffed up, but their power.
• 1 Corinthians 16:7For I do not wish to see you now just in passing—for I hope to stay on with you for a while, if the Lord permits.
• Hebrews 6:3Now this we will do, if God permits.

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