Focused Passage

James 4:7-10

Worldliness, Humility, and Life Under God’s Will

James moves from exposing quarrels as the fruit of disordered desires, to rebuking worldliness as spiritual adultery, to calling for humble repentance before God, to condemning slanderous judgment, and finally to warning against arrogant planning that forgets the Lord’s will.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

Submit yourselves Ὑποτάγητε G5293 Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Plural then οὖν G3767 Conjunction - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular to God Θεῷ G2316 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction Resist ἀντίστητε G436 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular devil διαβόλῳ G1228 Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction he will flee φεύξεται G5343 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular from ἀφ’ G575 Preposition you ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Verse 8

Original words

Draw near ἐγγίσατε G1448 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural - τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular to God Θεῷ G2316 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction He will draw near ἐγγιεῖ* G1448 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural Cleanse καθαρίσατε G2511 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural [your] hands χεῖρας G5495 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural [you] sinners ἁμαρτωλοί G268 Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction purify ἁγνίσατε G48 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural [your] hearts καρδίας G2588 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural [you] double-minded δίψυχοι G1374 Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural
Verse 9

Original words

Grieve ταλαιπωρήσατε G5003 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction mourn πενθήσατε G3996 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction weep κλαύσατε G2799 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Turn μετατραπήτω G3344 Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 3rd Person Singular your ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular laughter γέλως G1071 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition mourning πένθος G3997 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction [your] G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular joy χαρὰ G5479 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition gloom κατήφειαν G2726 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 10

Original words

Humble yourselves ταπεινώθητε G5013 Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person Plural before ἐνώπιον G1799 Preposition [the] Lord Κυρίου G2962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction He will exalt ὑψώσει G5312 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular you ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.