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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

James 2:4

Verse James 2:4. Are ye not then partial] ου διεκριθητε. Do ye not make a distinction, though the case has not been heard, and the law has not decided?

Judges of evil thoughts?] κριται διαλογισμων πονηρων. Judges of evil reasonings; that is, judges who reason wickedly; who, in effect, say in your hearts, we will espouse the cause of the rich, because they can befriend us; we will neglect that of the poor, because they cannot help us, nor have they power to hurt us.

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See also James 2:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    ARE YE NOT THEN PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES? - Among yourselves. Do you not show that you are partial? AND ARE BECOME JUDGES OF EVIL THOUGHTS - There has been considerable difference of opinion respecting t...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    II. THE ROYAL LAW: FAITH AND WORKS CHAPTER 2 _ 1. The faith of Christ with respect to persons (James 2:1)_ 2. The royal law (James 2:6) 3. Faith must be manifested by works (James 2:14)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    This paragraph on Servility suits exhortation of Jews incomparably better than that of Christians, among whom not many rich were found for generations. The scene of James 2:2 is the synagogue, best ta...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    RESPECT OF PERSONS (James 2:1) _ 2:1 My brothers, you cannot really believe that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, and yet continue to have respect of persons._ Respect of persons is...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    For, if a man comes into your assembly with his fingers covered with gold rings and dressed in elegant clothes and a poor man comes in dressed in shabby clothes, and you pay special attention to the m...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ARE... PARTIAL. App-122. OF. Genitive of quality or character. App-17. EVIL. App-128. THOUGHTS. reasonings. See Matthew 15:19....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _are ye not then partial in yourselves_?] The verb is the same as that translated "waver" in chap. James 1:6 and elsewhere, as in Matthew 21:21; Mark 11:23; Acts 10:2

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΟΥ̓ ΔΙΕΚΡΊΘΗΤΕ with אAB2C and most cursives. B* omits οὐ, so also ff. KLP and others have καὶ οὐ. 4. ΟΥ̓ ΔΙΕΚΡΊΘΗΤΕ. For reading see critical notes. DID YE NOT MAKE A DISTINCTION AMONG YOURSELVES (tho...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    1–4. THE SUBJECT OF θρησκεία NATURALLY LEADS TO THE THOUGHT OF THE συναγωγή, CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH WHICH IS THE SPIRITUAL DANGER OF προσωπολημψία, AGAINST WHICH ST JAMES NOW WARNS HIS BRETHREN....

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _GOD HATES DISCRIMINATION -- JAMES 2:1-7:_ The Christian religion will not allow a person to practice discrimination. Discrimination is an example of inconsistency between faith and action. In the thi...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΔΙΕΚΡΊΘΗΤΕ _aor. ind. pass. от_ ΔΙΑΚΡΊΝΩ (G1252) судить, рассматривать обе возможности, колебаться, различать. Этот гл. имеет множество значений: здесь, вероятно, имеется в виде "различать" "относитьс...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    ARE YE NOT THEN PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES,— _Do you not put a difference, or discrimination among yourselves_ on those accounts which are foreign to the cause? That this is the frequent sense of the words...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEMPTATION IN THE CHURCH _Text 2:1-4_ 1. My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2. For if there come into your synagogue a man with...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER IV _OVER-RATED RICHES_ James 2:1-13 _Introduction_ The ability to accumulate riches, in the minds of many people, seems to qualify any man for any position. Even though the acquisition of r...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Are ye not then partial in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts? Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? ARE YE NOT THEN PARTIAL, [ ou (G3756) di...

  • Commentary on the Minor Epistles by Caton

    VERSE 4 ARE YE NOT PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES? In your recognition of the rich should you show a less cordial greeting to the poor? Are ye not partial? Can you doubt it yourselves? If you make any differe...

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

    26 The outward form of divine service, the rites and ceremonies of the sacerdotal system of Moses, was but the exterior shell of truth. It was the letter: truth was the spirit. The ritual was full of...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    2:4 having (a-12) Lit. 'of evil thoughts,' as we say, 'a man of corrupt habits.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WARNINGS AGAINST RESPECT OF PERSONS. BELIEF AND PRACTICE 1. Another instance of inconsistency. JESUS CHRIST _the Lord_ OF GLORY] better, 'Jesus Christ the glory,' or 'the glorious one,' One of the ra...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    PARTIAL] better, 'divided' between Christian duty and worldly interests. JUDGES OF EVIL THOUGHTS] better, 'evil-thinking judges.' By showing undue preference to the rich man you judge, and judge wrong...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    WHAT *FAITH SHOULD DO JAMES _IAN MACKERVOY_ The word list at the end explains words with a *star by them. CHAPTER 2 RESPECT OF PERSONS 2:1-7 V1 My Christian brothers and sisters, you trust th...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    ARE YE NOT THEN PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES, AND ARE BECOME JUDGES OF EVIL THOUGHTS? — Or, as the sense, fully expressed, would be: “My brethren, if you acted thus, did you not doubt in yourselves, and beco...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 10 THE CHRISTOLOGY OF ST. JAMES-THE PRACTICAL UNBELIEF INVOLVED IN SHOWING A WORLDLY RESPECT OF PERSONS IN PUBLIC WORSHIP. James 2:1 As has been stated already, in a previous chapter, one of...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς : “Are ye not divided among yourselves”? The Peshiṭtâ uses the word אתפלג, the same as that used in Luke 11:17. “Every Kingdom divided against itself.” The reference in the ve...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    James 2:1-13 take up again the subject of the rich and poor which was commenced in James 1:9-11....

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    AVOID SERVILITY TO THE RICH James 2:1 This sin of making distinctions in God's house is as rife today as ever; and wherever it is practiced the divine Spirit departs. God's love is impartial, so far...

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

    Proceeding, James dealt with the effect of faith on conduct. It makes it impossible to show any respect of persons on the ground of the possession of worldly wealth. To show such respect shows that th...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    CHRISTIANITY ELIMINATES PARTIALITY Roberts points out that the Greek word for "respect of persons" literally means "face receiving." In other words, judging what kind of man one is by how he looks. Th...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Are ye not then partial in (c) yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? (c) Have you not within yourselves judged one man to be preferred over another (which you should not do) by means of...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Are become judges of (or with) unjust thoughts, [2] when against justice you favour the rich. Or, if in Church assemblies you discover a wrong and partial judgment in you minds and thoughts, by the hi...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. (2) For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come...

  • 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...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    4_Are ye not then partial in yourselves _? or, _are ye not condemned in yourselves_. This may be read affirmatively as well as interrogatively, but the sense would be the same, for he amplifies the fa...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The apostle now enters on the subject of those who professed to believe that Jesus was Christ the Lord. Before, in Chapter 1, he had spoken of the new nature in connection with God: here the professio...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    ARE YE NOT THEN PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES,.... That is, guilty of such partiality as must appear to yourselves, and your own consciences must accuse you of; or do not ye distinguish, or make a difference...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Ver. 4. _Are ye not then partial_] ου διακριθητε, or, "Are ye not for so doing condemned in your own consciences?" Or, ...

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

    _My brethren_ The equality of Christians intimated by this name is the ground of the admonition; _have_ That is, _hold; not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory_ Of which glory all wh...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    JUDGES OF EVIL THOUGHTS; under the influence of evil thoughts. It is wrong to judge of persons by outward appearances merely; and the manifestation of such a spirit does evil both to those who are gui...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DEAD FAITH COMPARED WITH LIVING FAITH. Caution against partiality:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    ARE YE NOT THEN PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES, AND ARE BECOME JUDGES OF EVIL THOUGHTS?...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The first 13 verses of this chapter form a second division of the book, dealing with the faith of Christ as being above all personal considerations, perfectly true and impartial. To mix the faith of C...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    How do we show partiality? How do we become judges? Is judging - right or wrong? Are there passages that teach judging is wrong? Read these verses: Matthew 7:1; Romans 14:10; Romans 14:13 Are there pa...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?"made distinctions" -this same word is translated to be at odds with oneself, doubt or waver. Woods gives two idea...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-13 Those who profess faith in Christ as the Lord of glory, must not respect persons on account of mere outward circumstances and appearances, in a manner not agreeing with their profession of being...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    ARE YE NOT THEN PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES? Either, are ye not judged in yourselves, convicted by your own consciences of partiality, and accepting men's persons? Or, have ye not made a difference? viz. ou...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    James 2:4 G2532 you G1252 not G3756 partiality G1252 (G5681) among G1722 yourselves G1438 and G2532 become...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Do you not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?' James then makes his point. By doing this they are making distinctions among themselves and are judging with evil...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHAPTER 2. FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. The Fact That Faith Without Relevant Action Is Dead Is Illustrated (James 2:1). It Will Be Brought Into Judgment (James 2:8,) And The Case Is Argued Scriptural...

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

    James 2:4. THIS VERSE HAS GIVEN RISE TO A GREAT variety of interpretation, owing to the uncertainty of its correct translation. ARE YE NOT PARTIAL IN YOURSELVES? This version is hardly correct. Some r...

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

    James 2:1-13. In this passage, St. James proceeds to caution his readers against showing respect of persons, especially in their religious assemblies; for by doing so they would violate their Christia...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    ARE YE NOT DIVIDED IN YOUR OWN MIND? (ου διεκριθητε εν εαυτοισ;). First aorist (gnomic) passive indicative of διακρινω, to separate, conclusion of the third-class condition (future) in a rhetorical...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The tests of brotherly love and good words. Justification before men by our works. CHARACTERS: Christ, James, Abraham, Isaac, Rahab. CONCLUSION: Those who are possessors of Christ's salvat...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    James 2:1. _Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons._ See James 1:1. The whole of this chapter turns on charity, which is the excellence of pure religio...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    THEN YOU ARE GUILTY. (1) Of creating distinctions where God has made none; (2) Of allowing evil motives to influence you. These things destroy the unity of the worshipers, and create the same kind of...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 2:1 The Sin of Favoritism. The problem of the poor and the rich, already emphasized in James 1:9,...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 2:2 ASSEMBLY probably refers to a Christian house church. SIT DOWN AT MY FEET. The place of a servant. JUDGES WITH EVIL THOUGHTS. Christians are not to “judge” each ot

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    SINS OF PARTIALITY, ETC. _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ James 2:1. HAVE NOT.—Better, “hold not.” _Webster_ translates, “Without showing degrees of deference, maintain ye your faith.” THE LORD OF GLO...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JAMES 2:1 WARNING AGAINST RESPECT OF PERSONS. JAMES 2:1 The translation is doubtful, two renderings being possible. (1) That of the A.V. and R.

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now my brothers, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons (James 2:1). This is so difficult. It is so easy for us to fall in the trap of respecting pers...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    James 1:1; James 4:11; Job 21:27; Job 34:19; John 7:24;...

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

    Are ye not partial in yourselves? [ο υ δ ι ε κ ρ ι θ η τ ε ε ν ε α υ τ ο ι ς]. Wrong. The constant sense of the verb in the New Testament is doubt, except Acts 11:2; Jude 1:9, where it means dispute....

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Ye distinguish not — To which the most respect is due, to the poor or to the rich. But are become evil — reasoning judges — You reason ill, and so judge wrong: for fine apparel is no proof of worth in...

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