James

James 1:19–26

19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

22Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, 24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so — not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer — he will be blessed in what he does.

26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.

Read all of James 1

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

James 1:19

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
MyμουmouPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person SingularG1473 I
belovedἀγαπητοίagapētoiAdjective - Vocative Masculine PluralG27 loved, beloved
brothersἀδελφοίadelphoiNoun - Vocative Masculine PluralG80 a brother
understand thisἼστεIsteVerb - Perfect Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralG1492 I know, remember
EveryoneπᾶςpasAdjective - Nominative Masculine SingularG3956 all, the whole, every kind of
should beἔστωestōVerb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
quickταχὺςtachysAdjective - Nominative Masculine SingularG5036 quick, swift
toεἰςeisPrepositionG1519 into, in, among, till, for
listenἀκοῦσαιakousaiVerb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveG191 I hear, listen
slowβραδὺςbradysAdjective - Nominative Masculine SingularG1021 slow
toεἰςeisPrepositionG1519 into, in, among, till, for
speakλαλῆσαιlalēsaiVerb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveG2980 I speak, say
slowβραδὺςbradysAdjective - Nominative Masculine SingularG1021 slow
toεἰςeisPrepositionG1519 into, in, among, till, for
angerὀργήνorgēnNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularG3709 anger, wrath, passion

James 1:20

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
forγὰρgarConjunctionG1063 for
man’sἀνδρὸςandrosNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG435 a male human being, a man
angerὀργὴorgēNoun - Nominative Feminine SingularG3709 anger, wrath, passion
notοὐκoukAdverbG3756 no, not
bring aboutἐργάζεταιergazetaiVerb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularG2038 I word, trade, do
righteousnessδικαιοσύνηνdikaiosynēnNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularG1343 justice, justness, righteousness
that GodΘεοῦTheouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god

James 1:21

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
ThereforeδιὸdioConjunctionG1352 wherefore
get ridἀποθέμενοιapothemenoiVerb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine PluralG659 I lay off or aside, renounce
of allπᾶσανpasanAdjective - Accusative Feminine SingularG3956 all, the whole, every kind of
moral filthῥυπαρίανrhyparianNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularG4507 filth, pollution
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
every expressionπερισσείανperisseianNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularG4050 abundance
of evilκακίαςkakiasNoun - Genitive Feminine SingularG2549 evil, wickedness, malice
humblyπραΰτητιprautētiNoun - Dative Feminine SingularG4240 mildness, gentleness
acceptδέξασθεdexastheVerb - Aorist Imperative Middle - 2nd Person PluralG1209 I take, receive, accept, welcome
theτὸνtonArticle - Accusative Masculine SingularG3588 the
wordλόγονlogonNoun - Accusative Masculine SingularG3056 a word, speech, divine utterance, analogy
plantedἔμφυτονemphytonAdjective - Accusative Masculine SingularG1721 inborn, ingrown, congenital, natural
whichτὸνtonArticle - Accusative Masculine SingularG3588 the
canδυνάμενονdynamenonVerb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine SingularG1410 I am powerful, am able
saveσῶσαιsōsaiVerb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveG4982 I save, heal
yourὑμῶνhymōnPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person PluralG4771 you
soulsψυχὰςpsychasNoun - Accusative Feminine PluralG5590 the soul, life, self

James 1:22

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
BeΓίνεσθεGinestheVerb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person PluralG1096 I come into being, am born
doersποιηταὶpoiētaiNoun - Nominative Masculine PluralG4163 a doer, performer, poet
ofλόγουlogouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG3056 a word, speech, divine utterance, analogy
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
notμὴmēAdverbG3361 not, lest
hearersἀκροαταὶakroataiNoun - Nominative Masculine PluralG202 a hearer of, a listener to
onlyμόνονmononAdverbG3440 alone, but, only
you are deceivingπαραλογιζόμενοιparalogizomenoiVerb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine PluralG3884 I deceive, beguile
yourselvesἑαυτούςheautousReflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person PluralG1438 himself, herself, itself

James 1:23

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
ForὅτιhotiConjunctionG3754 that, since, because
anyoneτιςtisInterrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG5100 any one, some one
who hearsἀκροατὴςakroatēsNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG202 a hearer of, a listener to
wordλόγουlogouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG3056 a word, speech, divine utterance, analogy
butκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
does not carry it outποιητήςpoiētēsNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG4163 a doer, performer, poet
is likeἔοικενeoikenVerb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1503 I am like, resemble
a manἀνδρὶandriNoun - Dative Masculine SingularG435 a male human being, a man
looksκατανοοῦντιkatanoountiVerb - Present Participle Active - Dative Masculine SingularG2657 I understand, perceive, consider
at hisαὐτοῦautouPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularG846 he, she, it, they, them, same
faceπρόσωπονprosōponNoun - Accusative Neuter SingularG4383 the face, countenance, surface
inἐνenPrepositionG1722 in, on, among
a mirrorἐσόπτρῳesoptrōNoun - Dative Neuter SingularG2072 a mirror

James 1:24

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
after observingκατενόησενkatenoēsenVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG2657 I understand, perceive, consider
himselfἑαυτὸνheautonReflexive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularG1438 himself, herself, itself
goes awayἀπελήλυθενapelēlythenVerb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG565 I come or go away from, depart, return
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
immediatelyεὐθέωςeutheōsAdverbG2112 immediately, soon
forgetsἐπελάθετοepelathetoVerb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person SingularG1950 I forget, neglect
what heἦνēnVerb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist

James 1:25

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
ButδὲdeConjunctionG1161 but, on the other hand, and
theὁhoArticle - Nominative Masculine SingularG3588 the
looks intentlyπαρακύψαςparakypsasVerb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularG3879 I stoop, peer in, look down
intoεἰςeisPrepositionG1519 into, in, among, till, for
perfectτέλειονteleionAdjective - Accusative Masculine SingularG5046 perfect, full-grown
lawνόμονnomonNoun - Accusative Masculine SingularG3551 a law, the Mosaic Law
of freedomἐλευθερίαςeleutheriasNoun - Genitive Feminine SingularG1657 freedom, liberty
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
continues to do soπαραμείναςparameinasVerb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularG3887 I remain by, abide with
notοὐκoukAdverbG3756 no, not
beingγενόμενοςgenomenosVerb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine SingularG1096 I come into being, am born
a forgetfulἐπιλησμονῆςepilēsmonēsNoun - Genitive Feminine SingularG1953 forgetfulness
hearerἀκροατὴςakroatēsNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG202 a hearer of, a listener to
butἀλλὰallaConjunctionG235 but, except
an effectiveἔργουergouNoun - Genitive Neuter SingularG2041 work, labor, action, deed
doerποιητὴςpoiētēsNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG4163 a doer, performer, poet
will beἔσταιestaiVerb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
blessedμακάριοςmakariosAdjective - Nominative Masculine SingularG3107 happy, blessed
inἐνenPrepositionG1722 in, on, among
whatτῇtēArticle - Dative Feminine SingularG3588 the
heαὐτοῦautouPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularG846 he, she, it, they, them, same
doesποιήσειpoiēseiNoun - Dative Feminine SingularG4162 a doing

James 1:26

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
IfΕἴEiConjunctionG1487 if
anyoneτιςtisInterrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG5100 any one, some one
considers himselfδοκεῖdokeiVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1380 I think, seem, appear, it seems
religiousθρησκὸςthrēskosAdjective - Nominative Masculine SingularG2357 religious
does not bridleχαλιναγωγῶνchalinagōgōnVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularG5468 I bridle, curb
hisαὐτοῦautouPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularG846 he, she, it, they, them, same
tongueγλῶσσανglōssanNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularG1100 the tongue, a language, nation
he deceivesἀπατῶνapatōnVerb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularG538 I deceive, lead into error
hisαὐτοῦautouPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularG846 he, she, it, they, them, same
heartκαρδίανkardianNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularG2588 the heart, inner life, intention
religionθρησκείαthrēskeiaNoun - Nominative Feminine SingularG2356 ritual worship, religion
worthlessμάταιοςmataiosAdjective - Nominative Feminine SingularG3152 vain, unproductive, godless

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

James 1:19 Proverbs 17:27 · Proverbs 21:23 · Proverbs 14:29 · Proverbs 10:19 · Proverbs 18:13 · Ephesians 4:26 · Proverbs 13:3 · Proverbs 16:32 · Ecclesiastes 7:8–9 · Proverbs 15:18 · Ecclesiastes 5:1–3 · Colossians 3:8

James 1:20 2 Timothy 2:24–25 · Ephesians 4:26 · James 3:17–18 · Numbers 20:11–12

James 1:21 Ephesians 4:22 · Ephesians 1:13 · 1 Peter 2:11 · John 6:63 · Psalm 25:9 · Colossians 3:5–8 · Hebrews 12:1 · 1 Peter 2:1 · James 4:8 · 2 Timothy 3:15–17 · Titus 2:11 · Hebrews 4:2

James 1:22 Romans 2:13 · Luke 6:46–48 · John 13:17 · James 4:17 · 1 John 2:3 · Luke 11:28 · James 2:14–20 · Matthew 12:50 · Colossians 3:17 · Matthew 7:21–27 · James 1:26 · Revelation 22:7

James 1:23 Matthew 7:26–27 · James 2:14–26 · Ezekiel 33:31–32 · Luke 6:47 · Jeremiah 44:16

James 1:24 2 Peter 3:11 · Luke 1:66 · Luke 7:39 · 1 Thessalonians 1:5 · Matthew 8:27 · Judges 8:18

James 1:25 Luke 11:28 · John 13:17 · 2 Corinthians 3:17–18 · 1 Peter 2:16 · Luke 6:47–49 · James 2:12 · Galatians 5:1 · John 8:31–32 · 1 Corinthians 15:58 · 1 Timothy 4:16 · Psalm 119:96–105 · James 1:23–24

James 1:26 Psalm 141:3 · Ephesians 4:29 · 1 Peter 3:10 · Ephesians 5:4 · Proverbs 19:1 · Psalm 34:13 · Proverbs 10:31 · Proverbs 10:19 · Colossians 4:6 · James 1:22 · James 3:2–6 · James 1:19

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.