James 1:8

Christian Standard Bible ®

being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.

Parallel Translations

King James Version (1611)
A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes.

King James Version
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

English Standard Version
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

New American Standard Bible
being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Berean Standard Bible
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Complete Jewish Bible
because he is double-minded, unstable in all his ways.

Darby Translation
[he is] a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Geneva Bible (1587)
A double minded man is vnstable in all his waies.

George Lamsa Translation
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Lexham English Bible
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Literal Translation
he is a double-souled man, not dependable in all his ways.

Amplified Bible
being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].

American Standard Version
a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.

Bible in Basic English
For there is a division in his mind, and he is uncertain in all his ways.

Hebrew Names Version
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

International Standard Version
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he undertakes.in all his ways">[fn]James 4:8;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
who is divided in his mind, and disturbed in all his ways.

Murdock Translation
who is hesitating in his mind, and unstable in all his ways.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
A double mynded man, [is] vnstable in all his wayes.

English Revised Version
a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.

World English Bible
He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Weymouth's New Testament
such a one is a man of two minds, undecided in every step he takes.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A man dowble in soule is vnstable in alle hise weies.

Update Bible Version
a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Webster's Bible Translation
A man unsettled in his opinions [is] unstable in all his ways.

New English Translation
since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.

New King James Version
he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

New Living Translation
Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

New Life Bible
The man who has two ways of thinking changes in everything he does.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A two-souled man, unstable in all his ways.

Douay-Rheims Bible
A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways.

Revised Standard Version
For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man[1][RSV translation combines verses 7 and 8 into verse 7], unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
A waveringe mynded man is vnstable in all his wayes.

Young's Literal Translation
a two-souled man [is] unstable in all his ways.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
A wauerynge mynded ma ys vnstable in all his waies.

Mace New Testament (1729)
a diffident man is inconstant in all his actions.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Them double-minded folks ain't no more stable than a one-legged eatin' table.

Contextual Overview

²Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. ⁶But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, ⁸being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.⁹Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, ¹⁰but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field. ¹¹For the sun rises and, together with the scorching wind, dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way, the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

James 4:8, 1 Kings 18:21, 2 Kings 17:33, 2 Kings 17:41, Isaiah 29:13, Hosea 7:8-11, Hosea 10:2, Matthew 6:22, Matthew 6:24, 2 Peter 2:14, 2 Peter 3:16

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:30 - for he Leviticus 27:10 - General 2 Chronicles 25:2 - but not Psalms 12:2 - a double heart Psalms 51:10 - right Psalms 119:69 - with my whole Acts 15:38 - who Revelation 3:15 - thou

Cross-References

Genesis 1:5
God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of the water he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:13
Evening came and then morning: the third day.

Genesis 1:19
Evening came and then morning: the fourth day.

Genesis 1:23
Evening came and then morning: the fifth day.

Genesis 1:31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.

Genesis 5:2
he created them male and female. When they were created, he blessed them and called them mankind.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

A double minded man,.... A man of two souls, or of a double heart, that speaks and asks with an heart, and an heart, as in

Psalms 12:2 who halts between two opinions, and is at an uncertainty what to do or say, and is undetermined what to ask for; or who is not sincere and upright in his requests, who asks for one thing, and means another, and asks amiss, and with an ill design; does not call upon God in truth, and in the sincerity of his soul; draws nigh to him with his mouth, and honours him with his lips, but his heart is far from him. Such an one is

unstable in all his ways; he is confused in his mind; restless in his thoughts, unsettled in his designs and intentions; inconstant in his petitions; uncertain in his notions and opinion of things; and very variable in his actions, and especially in matters of religion; he is always changing, and never at a point, but at a continual uncertainty, both in a way of thinking and doing: he never continues long either in an opinion, or in a practice, but is ever shifting and moving.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A double minded man - The word here used, δίψυχος dipsuchos occurs only here and in James 4:8. It means, properly, one who has two souls; then one who is wavering or inconstant. It is applicable to a man who has no settled principles; who is controlled by passion; who is influenced by popular feeling; who is now inclined to one opinion or course of conduct, and now to another.

Is unstable in all his ways - That is, not merely in regard to prayer, the point particularly under discussion, but in respect to everything. From the instability which the wavering must evince in regard to prayer, the apostle takes occasion to make the general remark concerning such a man, that stability and firmness could be expected on no subject. The hesitancy which manifested on that one subject would extend to all; and we might expect to find such a man irresolute and undetermined in all things. This is always true. If we find a man who takes hold of the promises of God with firmness; who feels the deepest assurance when he prays that God will hear prayer; who always goes to him without hesitation in his perplexities and trials, never wavering, we shall find one who is firm in his principles, steady in his integrity, settled in his determinations, and steadfast in his plans of life - a man whose character we shall feel that we understand, and in whom we can confide. Such a man eminently was Luther; and the spirit which is thus evinced by taking firmly hold of the promises of God is the best kind of religion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 8. A double-minded man — ανηρ διψυχος. The man of two souls, who has one for earth, and another for heaven; who wishes to secure both worlds; he will not give up earth, and he is loth to let heaven go. This was a usual term among the Jews, to express the man who attempted to worship God, and yet retained the love of the creature. Rabbi Tanchum, fol. 84, on Deuteronomy 26:17, said: "Behold, the Scripture exhorts the Israelites, and tells them when they pray, לא יהיה להם שתי לבבות lo yiyeh lahem shetey lebaboth, that they should not have two hearts, one for the holy blessed God, and one for something else." A man of this character is continually distracted; he will neither let earth nor heaven go, and yet he can have but one. Perhaps St. James refers to those Jews who were endeavoring to incorporate the law with the Gospel, who were divided in their minds and affections, not willing to give up the Levitical rites, and yet unwilling to renounce the Gospel. Such persons could make no progress in Divine things.