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Scripture · New Testament

James 4:15

James 4:15 is verse 15 of James chapter 4, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.

Berean Standard Bible

Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”

BSB source and public domain terms

King James Version

For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

World English Bible

For you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.”

Read in context

James 4:13–17 · Berean Standard Bible

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”

14 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.

15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”

16 As it is, you boast in your proud intentions. All such boasting is evil.

17 Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin.

Read all of James 4

Greek words

ἀντὶInstead [ought]τοῦ<the>λέγεινto sayὑμᾶς·you;ἐὰνIfὁtheκύριοςLordθελήσῃshall wishκαὶbothζήσομενwe will liveκαὶandποιήσομενwe will doτοῦτοthisἢorἐκεῖνο.that.

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Study James 4:15

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

2 Samuel 15:25

Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again.

2 Samuel 15:26

But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”

Proverbs 19:21

Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.

Lamentations 3:37

Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?

Acts 18:21

But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.

Romans 1:10

in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.

Romans 15:32

so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.

1 Corinthians 4:19

But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have.

1 Corinthians 16:7

For I do not want to see you now only in passing; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits.

Hebrews 6:3

And this we will do, if God permits.

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