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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

James 1:8

This verse is not available in the ERV!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Character;   Heart;   Hypocrisy;   Indecision;   Instability;   Thompson Chain Reference - Double-Mindedness;   Indecision;   Steadfastness-Instability;   The Topic Concordance - Wavering;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Decision;   Steadfastness;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Wisdom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Doubt;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Order;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Double-Minded;   Integrity;   James, the Letter;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Prayer;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Assurance;   James Epistle of;   Mind;   Perseverance;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Temptation;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Double mind;   Man;   Unstable;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Double;   Sirach, Book of;   Way;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for October 4;   Every Day Light - Devotion for December 11;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.
King James Version (1611)
A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes.
King James Version
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
English Standard Version
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
New American Standard Bible
being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Berean Standard Bible
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Complete Jewish Bible
because he is double-minded, unstable in all his ways.
Darby Translation
[he is] a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Geneva Bible (1587)
A double minded man is vnstable in all his waies.
George Lamsa Translation
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Lexham English Bible
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Literal Translation
he is a double-souled man, not dependable in all his ways.
Amplified Bible
being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].
American Standard Version
a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.
Bible in Basic English
For there is a division in his mind, and he is uncertain in all his ways.
Hebrew Names Version
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
International Standard Version
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he undertakes.in all his ways
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Etheridge Translation
who is divided in his mind, and disturbed in all his ways.
Murdock Translation
who is hesitating in his mind, and unstable in all his ways.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
A double mynded man, [is] vnstable in all his wayes.
English Revised Version
a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.
World English Bible
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Weymouth's New Testament
such a one is a man of two minds, undecided in every step he takes.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A man dowble in soule is vnstable in alle hise weies.
Update Bible Version
a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Webster's Bible Translation
A man unsettled in his opinions [is] unstable in all his ways.
New English Translation
since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.
New King James Version
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
New Living Translation
Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
New Life Bible
The man who has two ways of thinking changes in everything he does.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A two-souled man, unstable in all his ways.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways.
Revised Standard Version
For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man[1][RSV translation combines verses 7 and 8 into verse 7], unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
A waveringe mynded man is vnstable in all his wayes.
Young's Literal Translation
a two-souled man [is] unstable in all his ways.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A wauerynge mynded ma ys vnstable in all his waies.
Mace New Testament (1729)
a diffident man is inconstant in all his actions.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Them double-minded folks ain't no more stable than a one-legged eatin' table.

Contextual Overview

2 My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy. 3 You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering. 4 If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be. 5 Do any of you need wisdom? Ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. So he will give you wisdom. 6 But when you ask God, you must believe. Don't doubt him. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is blown up and down by the wind. 7People like that are thinking two different things at the same time. They can never decide what to do. So they should not think they will receive anything from the Lord. 9 Believers who are poor should be glad that God considers them so important. 10 Believers who are rich should be glad when bad things happen that humble them. Their riches won't keep them from disappearing as quickly as wildflowers. 11 As the sun rises and gets hotter, its heat dries up the plants, and the flowers fall off. The flowers that were so beautiful are now dead. That's how it is with the rich. While they are still making plans for their business, they will die. 12 Great blessings belong to those who are tempted and remain faithful! After they have proved their faith, God will give them the reward of eternal life. God promised this to all people who love him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

James 4:8, 1 Kings 18:21, 2 Kings 17:33, 2 Kings 17:41, Isaiah 29:13, Hosea 7:8-11, Hosea 10:2, Matthew 6:22, Matthew 6:24, 2 Peter 2:14, 2 Peter 3:16

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:30 - for he Leviticus 27:10 - General 2 Chronicles 25:2 - but not Psalms 12:2 - a double heart Psalms 51:10 - right Psalms 119:69 - with my whole Acts 15:38 - who Revelation 3:15 - thou

Cross-References

Genesis 1:5
God named the light "day," and he named the darkness "night." There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the first day.
Genesis 1:10
God named the dry land "earth," and he named the water that was gathered together "seas." And God saw that this was good.
Genesis 1:13
There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the third day.
Genesis 1:19
There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the fourth day.
Genesis 1:23
There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the fifth day.
Genesis 1:31
God looked at everything he had made. And he saw that everything was very good. There was evening, and then there was morning. This was the sixth day.
Genesis 5:2
He created them male and female. And on the same day he made them, he blessed them and called them "humans."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A double minded man,.... A man of two souls, or of a double heart, that speaks and asks with an heart, and an heart, as in

Psalms 12:2 who halts between two opinions, and is at an uncertainty what to do or say, and is undetermined what to ask for; or who is not sincere and upright in his requests, who asks for one thing, and means another, and asks amiss, and with an ill design; does not call upon God in truth, and in the sincerity of his soul; draws nigh to him with his mouth, and honours him with his lips, but his heart is far from him. Such an one is

unstable in all his ways; he is confused in his mind; restless in his thoughts, unsettled in his designs and intentions; inconstant in his petitions; uncertain in his notions and opinion of things; and very variable in his actions, and especially in matters of religion; he is always changing, and never at a point, but at a continual uncertainty, both in a way of thinking and doing: he never continues long either in an opinion, or in a practice, but is ever shifting and moving.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A double minded man - The word here used, δίψυχος dipsuchos occurs only here and in James 4:8. It means, properly, one who has two souls; then one who is wavering or inconstant. It is applicable to a man who has no settled principles; who is controlled by passion; who is influenced by popular feeling; who is now inclined to one opinion or course of conduct, and now to another.

Is unstable in all his ways - That is, not merely in regard to prayer, the point particularly under discussion, but in respect to everything. From the instability which the wavering must evince in regard to prayer, the apostle takes occasion to make the general remark concerning such a man, that stability and firmness could be expected on no subject. The hesitancy which manifested on that one subject would extend to all; and we might expect to find such a man irresolute and undetermined in all things. This is always true. If we find a man who takes hold of the promises of God with firmness; who feels the deepest assurance when he prays that God will hear prayer; who always goes to him without hesitation in his perplexities and trials, never wavering, we shall find one who is firm in his principles, steady in his integrity, settled in his determinations, and steadfast in his plans of life - a man whose character we shall feel that we understand, and in whom we can confide. Such a man eminently was Luther; and the spirit which is thus evinced by taking firmly hold of the promises of God is the best kind of religion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 8. A double-minded man — ανηρ διψυχος. The man of two souls, who has one for earth, and another for heaven; who wishes to secure both worlds; he will not give up earth, and he is loth to let heaven go. This was a usual term among the Jews, to express the man who attempted to worship God, and yet retained the love of the creature. Rabbi Tanchum, fol. 84, on Deuteronomy 26:17, said: "Behold, the Scripture exhorts the Israelites, and tells them when they pray, לא יהיה להם שתי לבבות lo yiyeh lahem shetey lebaboth, that they should not have two hearts, one for the holy blessed God, and one for something else." A man of this character is continually distracted; he will neither let earth nor heaven go, and yet he can have but one. Perhaps St. James refers to those Jews who were endeavoring to incorporate the law with the Gospel, who were divided in their minds and affections, not willing to give up the Levitical rites, and yet unwilling to renounce the Gospel. Such persons could make no progress in Divine things.


 
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