James 4:14 KJV — MannaFest

James 4:14

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

KJV

Parallel translations

4 additional translations

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ASV

whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

WEB

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

YLT

who do not know the thing of the morrow; for what is your life? for it is a vapour that is appearing for a little, and then is vanishing;

DBT

ye who do not know what will be on the morrow, ([for] what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, appearing for a little while, and then disappearing,)

About this book

New Testament

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James — The Lord's brother writes to the twelve tribes scattered abroad — five chapters of direct, practical wisdom on the life faith produces. Pure religion, the tongue, the prayer of the righteous.

Author: James the Lord's brother (traditional — cf. Gal 1:19), leader of the Jerusalem church
Date: Early — possibly mid-40s AD, making it likely the earliest NT letter

Book overview →Read full book →Read chapter 4 →

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Cross-references

30 verses on the floor

1 Peter 1:24
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
Job 14:2
He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
Psalms 39:5
Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.
1 John 2:17
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Psalms 102:3
For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.

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Cross-references: OpenBible.info (CC-BY), based on the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

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Voices3

On this verse

Draft selections — awaiting the founder’s edit.

We know not what shall be on the morrow; we may know what we intend to do and to be, but a thousand things may happen to prevent us. We are not sure of life itself, since it is but as a vapour, something in appearance, but nothing solid nor certain, easily scattered and gone.

Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan

How much of worldly happiness lies in the promises men make to themselves beforehand. Their heads are full of fine visions, as to what they shall do, and be, and enjoy, in some future time, when they can neither be sure of time nor of any of the advantages they promise themselves; therefore observe, 3.

Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan

what--literally, "of what nature" is your life? that is, how evanescent it is. It is even--Some oldest authorities read, "For ye are." BENGEL, with other old authorities, reads, "For it shall be," the future referring to the "morrow" (Jas 4:13-15).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown· Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871reformed

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The walk8

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