James 1:22–25
James: don't just listen; whoever looks and does not act forgets what they looked like
Study it word by word22But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking closely at the face he was born with in a mirror;
24for he looked at himself and has gone away and at once forgot what kind of man he was.
25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and remains in it, becoming not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be happy in his doing.
In its context
20for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God.
21Therefore, putting away all filthiness and abundance of wickedness, receive with gentleness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
…
26If anyone thinks he is religious while not bridling his tongue but deceiving his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
27Religion pure and undefiled before God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Its words in the original
- ΓίνεσθεGinesthe· become, happen
Become, happen, come about; be born.
- ποιηταὶpoiētai· doer, poet
Doer, maker: someone who puts something into practice; also a poet.
- λόγουlogou· word
Word, saying, message; also reason, cause, account.
- ἀκροαταὶakroatai· hearer
Hearer: someone who listens.
- μόνονmonon· only, alone
Alone, only.
- παραλογιζόμενοιparalogizomenoi· deceive
Deceive with false reasoning.
- ἐστὶνestin· be
Be, exist.
- ἔοικενeoiken· be like
Be like, resemble.
- ἀνδρὶandri· man, husband
Man, adult male; with a possessive, "husband".
- κατανοοῦντιkatanoounti· consider, notice
Notice, consider carefully, observe.
- πρόσωπονprosōpon· face, presence
Face; also presence, appearance.
- γενέσεωςgeneseōs· origin, birth, lineage
Origin, birth; also the family line someone comes from. The name of the book of Genesis comes from it.
- ἐσόπτρῳesoptrōi· mirror
Mirror: a polished metal surface in which one sees oneself.
- ἀπελήλυθενapelēlythen· go away
Go away, leave.
- εὐθέωςeutheōs· immediately
Immediately, at once.
- ἐπελάθετοepelatheto· forget
Forget; neglect.
- ὁποῖοςhopoios· what sort, such as
Of what sort, what kind; "such as".
- παρακύψαςparakypsas· stoop to look
Bend down to look inside.
- νόμονnomon· law
Law. In the Gospels, above all the law of Moses, the Torah.
- τέλειονteleion· complete, mature
Complete, mature, whole; often rendered “perfect.”
- ἐλευθερίαςeleutherias· freedom
Freedom: not being subject as a slave.
- παραμείναςparameinas· stay, remain with
Stay; remain beside someone; also continue.
- ἐπιλησμονῆςepilēsmonēs· forgetfulness
Forgetfulness; "a hearer of forgetfulness", a forgetful hearer.
- ἔργουergou· work
Work, deed, what someone does.
- μακάριοςmakarios· blessed, happy
Blessed: truly happy, in the condition God blesses. It is the "happy" or "blessed" of the Psalms.
- ποιήσειpoiēsei· doing
Doing, action: what one does.