Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
What does James 1:17 mean?
It is not every man who suffers, that is blessed; but he who with patience and constancy goes through all difficulties in the way of duty. Afflictions cannot make us miserable, if it be not our own fault.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside James 1:16-18 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift - The difference between good and perfect here, it is not easy to mark accurately. It may be that the former means that which is benevolent in its character and tendency; the latter that which is entire, where there is nothing even apparently wanting to complete it; where it can be regarded as good as a whole and in all its parts. The general sense is, that God is the author of all good. Every thing that is good on the earth we are to trace to him; evil has another origin. Compare Matthew 13:28 . Is from above - From God, who is often represented as dwelling above - in heaven.
Key words
- shadow of turning
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shadow of turning.
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Every good gift and every perfect gift,.
- every
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Every good gift and every perfect gift,.
Context in James 1
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James 1 belongs to the opening movement of the book, especially the section often described as testing and wisdom. James is a wisdom-shaped epistle about testing, speech, wealth, impartiality, works, prayer, and practical holiness. Read this chapter with the wider themes of works, wisdom, and speech in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Passages on asking, persistence, confession, dependence, and the way prayer shapes Christian life and attention.
Verses on the fear of the Lord, wise speech, practical judgment, teachability, and the difference between biblical wisdom and mere cleverness.
Key passages on God's unmerited favour, the grace of Christ, salvation by grace through faith, and how grace transforms the way believers live.