James 2:7
in James 2Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?
KJV
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
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This verse in James 2
Commentary
11 notes on this verseDo they not blaspheme that good name by which you are called? "They blaspheme the good name." A good name is a new name according to the prophet saying: "To those who serve me, a new name will be called, which will be blessed over …
This site's exposition
Has not God chosen the poor
on James 2:5-7
Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom, the Lord's first beatitude. The churches honored the rich who oppress you and drag you into court and blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called.
This site's exposition
the noble name by which
Albert Barnes takes the noble name to be the name of Christ, which believers bore and persecutors reviled. John Gill allows a second group. Rich men inside the church could also cause that name to be slandered among the Gentiles by dragging poor brothers before pagan courts.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Hilary of ArlesINTRODUCTORY TRACTATE ON THE LETTER OF JAMES · Written before 449.
proposed
This is the name of the God of Israel, which was invoked on your behalf in Egypt, as well as in your baptism.
The Medieval Church1 voice
The new name — according to the words of the prophet: "Those who serve Me shall be called by a new name, which shall be blessed on the earth, for they shall bless the true God" ("His servants He shall call by another name; he …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Of Christ, or Christians; by the which ye are called? and which, as before, may design either unbelieving rich men, whether among Jews, or Gentiles, who blasphemed and cursed the name of Christ, and compelled others to do so likewise; or such who professed the Christian religion, who by their supercilious and disdainful treatment of their poor brethren, and by their dragging of them to the tribunals of the Heathens, and distressing them with vexatious law suits there, caused the name of Christ, after which they were called Christians, to be blasphemed and evil spoken of, among the Gentiles.
Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:98%@v11-13
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name - Of God and of Christ. The apostle speaks chiefly of rich heathens: but are Christians, so called, a whit behind them?
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Do they not blaspheme that worthy name? - This is another argument to show that the rich had no special claim to the honor which they were disposed to show them. The “worthy name” here referred to is, doubtless, the name of the Saviour. The thing here affirmed would, of course, accompany persecution. They who persecuted Christians, would revile the name which they bore. This has always occurred.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
54:6); which ye pray may be "hallowed" (Mt 6:9), and "by which ye are called," literally, "which was invoked" or, "called upon by you" (compare Ge 48:16; Ac 15:17), so that at your baptism "into the name" (so the Greek, Mt 28:19) of Christ, ye became Christ's people (1Co 3:23).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Blaspheme that worthy name - They took every occasion to asperse the Christian name and the Christian faith, and have been, from the beginning to the present day, famous for their blasphemies against Christ and his religion. It is evident that these were Jews of whom St. James speaks; no Christians in these early times could have acted the part here mentioned.
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὐκ | ouk | Surely | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| αὐτοὶ | autoi | they themselves | G846 → | 5565 times |
| βλασφημοῦσιν | blasphemousin | are denigrating | G987 → | |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καλὸν | kalon | good | G2570 → | 101 times |
| ὄνομα | onoma | Name | G3686 → | 227 times |
| τὸ | to | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπικληθὲν | epiklethen | having been called | G1941 → | |
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ὑμᾶς; | humas | you? | G4771 → | 2973 times |
οὐκSurely
oukG3756 →1664 times
αὐτοὶthey themselves
autoiG846 →5565 times
βλασφημοῦσινare denigrating
blasphemousinG987 →
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
καλὸνgood
kalonG2570 →101 times
ὄνομαName
onomaG3686 →227 times
τὸwhich
toG3588 →19766 times
ἐπικληθὲνhaving been called
epiklethenG1941 →
ἐφ᾽upon
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
ὑμᾶς;you?
humasG4771 →2973 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 111:9He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His name.
it leads to
- Psalms 99:3
Let them praise Your great and awesome name— He is holy!
- Luke 1:49
For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
- Luke 1:68
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
- Titus 2:14
He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
- Revelation 5:9
And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and…
- Psalms 99:3
Through
1 Timothy 1:13I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
it leads to
- Acts 8:3
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
- Hebrews 6:4–8
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
- Acts 8:3
Through
Ephesians 3:15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
it leads to
- Ephesians 1:10
as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.
- Ephesians 1:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About James
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY TRACTATE ON THE LETTER OF JAMES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on James and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on James.