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

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

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

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

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

Submit yourselvesὙποτάγητεG5293Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person PluralthenοὖνG3767Conjunction-τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine Singularto GodΘεῷG2316Noun - Dative Masculine Singular-δὲG1161ConjunctionResistἀντίστητεG436Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluraltheτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingulardevilδιαβόλῳG1228Adjective - Dative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionhe will fleeφεύξεταιG5343Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singularfromἀφ’G575PrepositionyouὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Verse 8

Original words

Draw nearἐγγίσατεG1448Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural-τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine Singularto GodΘεῷG2316Noun - Dative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionHe will draw nearἐγγιεῖ*G1448Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularto youὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralCleanseκαθαρίσατεG2511Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural[your] handsχεῖραςG5495Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural[you] sinnersἁμαρτωλοίG268Adjective - Vocative Masculine PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctionpurifyἁγνίσατεG48Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural[your] heartsκαρδίαςG2588Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural[you] double-mindedδίψυχοιG1374Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural
Verse 9

Original words

GrieveταλαιπωρήσατεG5003Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural-καὶG2532ConjunctionmournπενθήσατεG3996Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctionweepκλαύσατεG2799Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralTurnμετατραπήτωG3344Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 3rd Person SingularyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularlaughterγέλωςG1071Noun - Nominative Masculine SingulartoεἰςG1519PrepositionmourningπένθοςG3997Noun - Accusative Neuter SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunction[your]G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularjoyχαρὰG5479Noun - Nominative Feminine SingulartoεἰςG1519PrepositiongloomκατήφειανG2726Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 10

Original words

Humble yourselvesταπεινώθητεG5013Verb - Aorist Imperative Passive - 2nd Person PluralbeforeἐνώπιονG1799Preposition[the] LordΚυρίουG2962Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionHe will exaltὑψώσειG5312Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularyouὑμᾶςG4771Personal / 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.