Meaning, commentary and cross references
James 4:7
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”In other translations
KJV · King James Version
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
NIV · New International Version
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
WEB · World English Bible
Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
What does James 4:7 mean?
John Gill · Exposition of the Entire Bible, on James 4:7
To the will of God, with respect to worldly things, and be content with such things as are enjoyed, and be satisfied with the portion that is allotted; it is right and best for the people of God to leave themselves with him, to choose their inheritance for them, since by all their anxious cares, their striving and struggling, their impatient desires, wars and fightings, as they cannot add one cubit to their stature, so nothing to their worldly substance; and it becomes them to submit to God in all afflictive dispensations of his providence, and be still and know that he is God; as well as to submit to his way and method of salvation by Christ, and particularly to the righteousness of…
John Gill, Exposition of the Entire Bible (1746–63). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Matthew Henry · Commentary on the Whole Bible, on James 4:1–10
We are taught to submit ourselves entirely to God: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you, Jam 4:7. Christians should forsake the friendship of the world, and watch against that envy and pride which they see prevailing in natural men, and should by grace learn to glory in their submissions to God. "Submit yourselves to him as subjects to their prince, in duty, and as one friend to another, in love and interest.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
John Calvin · Commentaries, on James 4:7–10
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 7 Subjecti igitur estote Deo; Resistite diabolo, et fugiet a vobis; 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 8 Appropinquate Deo, et appropinquabit vobis; mundate manus, peccatores; purificate corda duplici animo; 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 9 Affligimini, lugete et plorate; risus vester in luctum vertatur et gaudium in moerorem. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 10 Humiliamini coram Deo, et eriget vos. 7 Submit…
John Calvin, Commentaries (Calvin Translation Society English text). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Context: James 4:4–10 (WEB)
4You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously”? 6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Cross references
- 1 Peter 5:8–9
Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
- Ephesians 4:27
and don’t give place to the devil.
- Ephesians 6:11–12
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- 1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,
- Luke 4:2–13
for forty days, being tempted by the devil. He ate nothing in those days. Afterward, when they were completed, he was hungry.
- Matthew 4:3–11
The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
- Hebrews 12:9
Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
- Romans 10:3
For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God.