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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

James 4:14

JAMES—NOTE ON James 4:14 you. These business people think they control events. They fail to recognize God’s authority and the temporary nature of life. Planning and investing are not wrong, but arrogant self-confidence and boasting are.

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See also James 4:14 in other biblical comments:

  • A Textual Commentary On The Greek New Testament by Bruce M. Metzger

    JAMES 4:14 to. th/j au;rion {B} Of the several readings, ta. th/j au;rion, though supported by several good witnesses (A P 33 81 1739 _al_), is suspect as a scribal assimilation to Proverbs 27:...

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 14. _WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT_] This verse should be read in a parenthesis. It is not only impious, but grossly absurd, to speak thus concerning futurity, when ye know not what a day may bring forth....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WHEREAS, YE KNOW NOT WHAT SHALL BE ON THE MORROW - They formed their plans as if they knew; the apostle says it could not be known. They had no means of ascertaining what would occur; whether they wou...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    IV. FURTHER EXHORTATIONS TO RIGHT LIVING CHAPTER 4 _ 1. Fightings and worldliness rebuked (James 4:1)_ 2. The Godly walk (James 4:7) James 4:1 A strong rebuke follows the statements concerning the...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    This and the next paragraph denounce the vices of the rich, in the spirit of Amos and Isaiah; that they are Jews, and not Christians, seems obvious, if this epistle is to be got into the first centuri...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Come now, you who say, "Today, or tomorrow, we will go into this city, and we will spend a year there, and we will trade and make a profit." People like you do not know what will happen tomorrow. What...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    MAN'S PLEASURE OR GOD'S WILL? (James 4:1-3)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WHEREAS YE. Such as ye are. KNOW. App-132. LIFE. App-170. IT IS EVEN. For it is. The texts read "For ye are". VAPOUR. Greek. _atmis_. See Acts 2:19. APPEARETH. App-106. VANISHETH AWAY. See Acts...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow_ Literally, _the thing_, or THE EVENT OF TO-MORROW, the phrase, being parallel to "the things of the morrow" in Matthew 6:34. St James partly reproduce...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Man proposing, God disposing 13. _Go to now, ye that say_ The warnings pass on to another form of the worldliness of the double-minded; the far-reaching plans for the future such as our Lord had conde...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΤῸ ΤῊΣ ΑΥ̓́ΡΙΟΝ with אKL, several versions and Fathers: τὰ τῆς αὔριν AP and some cursives. The reading τῆς αὔριον only is found in B and adopted from that great authority by Westcott and Hort. ἘΣΤΕ w...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    13–17. THE TEMPTATIONS OF WEALTH The address is still probably to the brethren, some of whom engaged in business have not learnt to recognise God’s law and His will in commercial projects and plans....

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _DO NOT BOAST ABOUT TOMORROW -- JAMES 4:13-17:_ James gives a vivid picture of some who made great plans for the future. Their sin was not in planning for the future, but in failing to consider God in...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΠΊΣΤΑΣΘΕ _praes. ind. med. (dep.) от_ ΈΠΊΣΤΗΜΙ (G1987) знать, понимать, ΠΟΊΟΣ (G4169) какого рода; надежный или хрупкий? (Ropes), ΆΤΜΊΣ (G822) пар, дым. Это пар котелка или дым, уносимый ветром; гр...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 2372 THE FOLLY OF UNDUE SECURITY James 4:13. _Go to 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: whereas ye...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE PRESUMPTION OF PLANNING WITHOUT GOD _Text 4:13-17_ James 4:13. Come now ye that say, to-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade and get gain: 14. whereas...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. WHAT, [ poia (G4169)] - 'of what nature is y...

  • Commentary on the Minor Epistles by Caton

    VERSE 14 WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT WHAT SHALL BE TOMORROW. It is not given to us poor mortals to look into or in any wise know the future. You as mortals can make no calculations as to the future, and the...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    5 This passage has puzzled the commentators, and there are many and various explanations offered to solve what seems to be one of the most difficult passages in the Scriptures. A simple explanation, w...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    4:14 who (c-2) 'Who are such as do not.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DENUNCIATION OF GREED AND LOVE OF PLEASURE 1. Lusts] better, 'pleasures.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WHAT _is_ YOUR LIFE? IT IS EVEN A VAPOUR] RV 'Ye are a vapour.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    WHAT *FAITH SHOULD DO JAMES _IAN MACKERVOY_ The word list at the end explains words with a *star by them. CHAPTER 4 DESIRES AND DIVISIONS 4:1-10 V1 You know where all the fights and quarrels...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT.... — Read, _Whereas ye know not aught of the morrow_ — what, _i.e.,_ the event may be. The hopeless misery of the unfaithful servant comes into mind at this; he has left the great...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 22 SELF-ASSURANCE AND INVASION OF DIVINE PREROGATIVES INVOLVED IN PRESUMING UPON OUR FUTURE-THE DOCTRINE OF PROBABILISM. James 4:13 WORLDLINESS and want of humility are the two kindred subje...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    James 4:13-17 form an independent section entirely unconnected with what precedes or follows. The section is very interesting as giving a picture of the commercial _Diaspora_ -Jew. The Jews of the Dis...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε τὸ τῆς αὔριον : “Ye are they that know not …”; it is the contrast between the ignorance of men, with the consequent incertitude of all that the morrow may bring forth, and the kn...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “IF THE LORD WILL” James 4:11 When we speak evil of another, we usurp the functions of the only lawgiver and judge. If that other is endeavoring to model his life by the law, to speak evil of him is...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The writer now dealt with the effect of faith on character. Everything depends on desire. To attempt to satisfy a natural desire without reference to God is futile, and issues in internal conflict and...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    MAN'S FUTURE DEPENDS UPON GOD We do not know what awaits us even a few minutes ahead on life's road, so we should not make plans as if we controlled our own future. The wise man said, "Do not boast ab...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (13) Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: (14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    To the reader who enters on the consideration of the epistle of James from the epistles of Paul, the change is great and sudden, and by no means least of all from the epistle to the Hebrews, which, in...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE_ ‘For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.’ James 4:14 To this question we must expect many different answers. B...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    14_For what is your life? _He might have checked this foolish license in determining things to come by many other reasons; for we see how the Lord daily frustrates those presumptuous men who promise w...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In all that follows we have still the judgment of unbridled nature, of will in its different forms: contentions that arise from the lusts of the natural heart; request made to God proceeding from the...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT WHAT SHALL BE ON THE MORROW,.... Whether there would be a morrow for them or not, whether they should live till tomorrow; and if they should, they knew not what a morrow would brin...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Whereas ye know not what _shall be_ on the morrow. For what _is_ your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Ver. 14. _Ye know not what, &c._] God delig...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Jam. 4:14. "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow: for what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." Here seems to be an allusion to that...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Go to now_ Αγε νυν, _come now_, an interjection, calculated to excite attention; _ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will_ go, &c. As if future events were in your own power, and your health and liv...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    A YEAR-THE MORROW; all our plans should be made in view of the uncertainty of human life....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT WHAT SHALL BE ON THE MORROW. FOR WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? IT IS EVEN A VAPOR THAT APPEARETH FOR A LITTLE TIME AND THEN VANISHETH AWAY....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Trust in God's providence essential:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    This chapter, to the end of v.6, continues the subject begun in Ch.3:13. Sensual. devilish wisdom was accompanied by wars and fightings: but this proceeded from the lusts of the flesh active within th...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    Who knows what will happen tomorrow? We do not know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future. TRUE or FALSE What is your life? Why is this question asked? How would you describe YOUR li...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    IT IS EVEN: Or, for it is...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just. vapor that appears for. little while and then vanishes away."Yet you do not know". Proverbs 27:1 "Do not boast about tomorrow,...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 lai...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT WHAT SHALL BE ON THE MORROW; whether ye yourselves shall continue till then, or what else shall then be, or not be. In vain do ye boast of whole years, when ye cannot command the e...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    James 4:14 whereas G3748 not G3756 know G1987 (G5736) tomorrow G3588 G839 For G1063 what G4169 your...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and make ourselves gains”, whereas you do not know what will be on the morrow.' ‘Come now.' Thi...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHRISTIANS NEED TO FACE UP TO THE FRAILTY OF THEIR LIVES (JAMES 4:12). The contrast between man in his inability to act as judge in contrast with the great Judge Himself, now leads up to the question...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    St. James, having warned his readers against worldliness, and exhorted them to humility before God, proceeds to censure the rich for their forgetfulness of their dependence upon God, their proud confi...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    James 4:14. WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT WHAT SHALL BE ON THE MORROW. You are ignorant of what shall happen to you; your health and lives are not at your own disposal. Compare the similar thought in Proverbs:...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT (οιτινες ουκ επιστασθε). The longer relative οστις defines here more precisely (like Latin _qui_) ο λεγοντες (ye who say) of verse James 4:13 in a causal sense, as in Acts 10:47...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    James 4:14 I. First, what is the intention of life? No man of any consideration can look on "this life" for a moment without connecting it with "the life that is to come." It is evident that the first...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    James 4:13 What is your life? I. It is a very mysterious part of God's dealings, this making our life so uncertain. If we were not so thoroughly accustomed to the fact, we should, I think, all consid...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    James 4:1. _From whence come wars and fightings among you?_ Whether between nations, or parties or individuals,-if there be wars and fightings, whence do they come? James 4:1. _Come they not hence,...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Rebuke of worldliness and exhortation to humility before God. CHARACTERS: God, Satan. CONCLUSION: Worldly and fleshly lusts are the distemper which will not allow contentment or satisfacti...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    James 4:1. _From whence come wars and fightings among you?_ St. James saw in the Spirit the bloody and cruel wars which would rise among christian powers, much the same as among the heathen. He had a...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW. "You speak confidently of the future, but you don't even know for sure if you will even be living tomorrow!...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ James 4:13. SUCH A CITY.—“This city”; the one the speaker is supposed to have in mind. James 4:14. WHAT SHALL BE.—“What your life shall be on the morrow.” VANISHETH A...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JAMES 4:1 REBUKE OF QUARRELS ARISING FROM PRIDE AND GREED. A terribly sadden transition from the "peace" with which James 3:1. closed....

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    This chapter could be entitled how to win friends and influence people. Guard your tongue, bring your tongue under control, use it for good, use it to encourage to build up, don't use it to tear down,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 John 2:17; 1 Peter 1:24; 1 Peter 4:7; Isaiah 38:12; James 1:10;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Whereas ye know not [ο ι τ ι ν ε ς ο υ κ ε π ι σ τ α σ θ ε]. The pronoun marking a class, as being of those who know not. What shall be on the morrow [τ ο τ η ς α υ ρ ι ο ν]. Lit., the thing of the m...

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