James 4:12
in James 4There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
One only is the lawgiver and judge, even he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor?
KJV
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
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This verse in James 4
Commentary
10 notes on this verseBut who are you to judge your neighbor? He condemns the recklessness of the one who delights in judging his neighbor without taking care to consider the state of his own frailty and the uncertainties of his temporal life. And because sometimes, through the change …
This site's exposition
do not slander one another
on James 4:11-12
Brothers, do not slander one another extends chapter 3 on the tongue. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it, setting himself above the royal law of 2:8. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, able to save and destroy.
This site's exposition
only one Lawgiver and Judge
Bede reads the question as a rebuke to anyone who delights to judge a neighbor and forgets his frailty and the uncertainty of his life. The next verses give that life its measure, a mist that vanishes. Only the one Lawgiver is able to save and destroy.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
Hilary of ArlesINTRODUCTORY TRACTATE ON THE LETTER OF JAMES · Written before 449.
proposed
The law of the Bible was given through many agents, like Moses and Elijah and John the Baptist, but ultimately it is still only one law, and there is only one lawgiver.
Do not speak ill of one another my brethren. He that speaks ill of his brother, or he that judges his brother, speaks ill of the Law, and judges the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, …
The Medieval Church1 voice
Therefore, do not presume, he says, to degrade and, as it were, to counter-legislate, for this will not be forgiven you, since there is only one Lawgiver — God, who is able "to save and to destroy" transgressors of His law, for to punish the …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Since there is one Lawgiver, we may infer that it is not for any man or company of men in the world to pretend to give laws immediately to bind conscience; for that is God's prerogative, which must not be invaded.
There is one lawgiver,.... The Alexandrian copy, and others, and the Syriac, Ethiopic, and Vulgate Latin versions, add, "and judge". Who is the one only Lord God, Isa 33:
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
There is one lawgiver - Και κριτης, And judge, is added here by AB, about thirty others, with both the Syriac, Erpen’s Arabic, the Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Slavonic, Vulgate, two copies of the Itala, Cyril of Antioch, Euthalius, Theophylact, and Cassiodorus. On this evidence Griesbach has received it into the text. The man who breaks the law, and teaches others so to do, thus in effect set himself up as a lawgiver and judge.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
There is one lawgiver - There is but one who has a right to give law. The reference here is undoubtedly to the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Legislator of the church. This, too, is a most important and vital principle, though one that has been most imperfectly understood and acted on. The tendency everywhere has been to enact other laws than those appointed by Christ - the laws of synods and councils - and to claim that Christians are bound to observe them, and should be punished if they do not. But it is a fundamental principle in Christianity that no laws are binding on the conscience, but those which Christ has ordained; and that all attempts to make other laws pertaining to religion binding on the conscience is a usurpation of his prerogatives. The church is safe while it adheres to this as a settled principle; it is not safe when it submits to any legislation in religious matters as binding the conscience. Who is able to save and to destroy - Compare Mat 10:28. The idea here would seem to be, that he is able to save those whom you condemn, and to destroy you who pronounce a judgment on them. Or, in general, it may mean that he is intrusted with all power, and is abundantly able to administer his government; to restrain where it is necessary to restrain; to save where it is proper to save; to punish where it is just to punish. The whole matter pertaining to judgment, therefore, may be safely left in his hands; and, as he is abundantly qualified for it, we should not usurp his prerogatives. Who art thou that judgest another? - “Who art thou, a weak and frail and erring mortal, thyself accountable to that Judge, that thou shouldest interfere, and pronounce judgment on another, especially when he is doing only what that Judge permits him to do?” See this sentiment explained at length in the notes at Rom 14:4. Compare the Rom 2:1 note, and Mat 7:1 note. […]
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἷς | heis | One | G1520 → | 343 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | there is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νομοθέτης | nomothetes | Lawgiver | G3550 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κριτὴς | krites | Judge | G2923 → | 19 times |
| ὁ | ho | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δυνάμενος | dunamenos | is being able | G1410 → | 207 times |
| σῶσαι | sosai | to save | G4982 → | 105 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀπολέσαι· | apolesai | to destroy; | G622 → | |
| σὺ | su | You yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τίς | tis | who | G5101 → | 563 times |
| εἶ | ei | are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὁ | ho | you who [are] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κρίνων | krinon | judging | G2919 → | 114 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πλησίον;¶ | plesion | neighbour? | G4139 → |
εἷςOne
heisG1520 →343 times
ἐστινthere is
estinG1510 →2333 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
νομοθέτηςLawgiver
nomothetesG3550 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κριτὴςJudge
kritesG2923 →19 times
ὁwho
hoG3588 →19766 times
δυνάμενοςis being able
dunamenosG1410 →207 times
σῶσαιto save
sosaiG4982 →105 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀπολέσαι·to destroy;
apolesaiG622 →
σὺYou yourself
suG4771 →2973 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τίςwho
tisG5101 →563 times
εἶare
eiG1510 →2333 times
ὁyou who [are]
hoG3588 →19766 times
κρίνωνjudging
krinonG2919 →114 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
πλησίον;¶neighbour?
plesionG4139 →
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
Matthew 10:28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
it leads to
- Luke 12:4–5
I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
- Isaiah 8:12–13
“Do not call conspiracy everything these people regard as conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not live in dread.
- Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful…
- Luke 12:4–5
Through
Hebrews 7:25Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
it leads to
- Romans 8:34
Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.
- Jude 1:24
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 2:1–2
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
- 1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
- Romans 8:34
Through
Romans 2:1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.
it leads to
- Luke 6:37
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
- Luke 6:37
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About James
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY TRACTATE ON THE LETTER OF JAMES; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on James and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on James.