the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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James 1:23
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Hearing God's teaching and doing nothing is like looking at your face in the mirror
For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror;
For yf eny heare the worde and do it not he is lyke vnto a man that beholdeth his bodyly face in a glasse.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror;
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
Those who hear God's teaching and do nothing are like people who look at themselves in a mirror.
For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror:
For if any is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror;
For if any one be an hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a glass.
For if any one listens but does not obey, he is like a man who carefully looks at his own face in a mirror.
For if ony man is an herere of the word, and not a doere, this schal be licned to a man that biholdith the cheer of his birthe in a mirour;
For if any one is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror:
For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,
If you hear the message and don't obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror
For if anyone only listens to the word without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror;
For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror:
Because if any man is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a glass;
For whoever hears the Word but doesn't do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror,
For if any man be a hearer of [the] word and not a doer, *he* is like to a man considering his natural face in a mirror:
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror.Luke 6:47; James 2:14;">[xr]
For if a man be a hearer of the word and not a doer of it, this (man) is like one who vieweth his face in a mirror;
For if any man shall be a hearer of the word, and not a doer of it, he will be like one who seeth his face in a mirror:
For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like vnto a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse:
For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.
Anyone who hears the Word of God and does not obey is like a man looking at his face in a mirror.
For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror;
For if any heare the woorde, and doe it not, he is like vnto a man, that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man who sees his face in a mirror;
Because, if any is, a word-hearer, and not a doer, the same, is like unto a man observing his natural face in a mirror, -
For if a man be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he shall be compared to a man beholding his own countenance in a glass.
For yf any be a hearer of the worde, and not a doer, he is lyke vnto a man beholdyng his bodyly face in a glasse:
If you listen to the word, but do not put it into practice you are like people who look in a mirror and see themselves as they are.
Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
because if anyone is a hearer of the message and not a doer, this one is like someone staring at his own face in a mirror,
Because if anyone is a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, this one is like a man studying his natural face in a mirror;
because, if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one hath been like to a man viewing his natural face in a mirror,
For yf eny heare the worde, and do it not, he is like vnto a ma that beholdeth his bodily face in a glasse.
For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
Just listenin' and not doin' is like someone lookin' at themselves in a reflection.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
James 2:14-26, Jeremiah 44:16, Ezekiel 33:31, Ezekiel 33:32, Matthew 7:26, Matthew 7:27, Luke 6:47 - Luke 7:16
Reciprocal: Psalms 119:16 - not forget Matthew 20:16 - for Luke 8:5 - fell Luke 8:12 - by John 3:20 - every Acts 26:28 - Almost 1 Corinthians 13:12 - we see 2 Corinthians 3:18 - as in James 1:25 - a forgetful James 4:11 - a doer
Gill's Notes on the Bible
But if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,.... The Arabic version here again reads, "a hearer of the law", and so some copies; not hearing, but practice, is the main thing; not theory, but action: hence, says R. Simeon, not the word, or the searching into it, and the explanation of it, is the root, or principal thing, אלא המעשה, "but the work" p: and if a man is only a preacher, or a hearer, and not a doer,
he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; or, "the face of his generation"; the face with which he was born; his true, genuine, native face; in distinction from any counterfeit one, or from the face of his mind: it means his own corporeal face. The Ethiopic version renders it, "the lineaments of his face".
p Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 17.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For if any be ... - The ground of the comparison in these verses is obvious. The apostle refers to what all persons experience, the fact that we do not retain a distinct impression of ourselves after we have looked in a mirror. While actually looking in the mirror, we see all our features, and can trace them distinctly; when we turn away, the image and the impression both vanish. When looking in the mirror, we can see all the defects and blemishes of our person; if there is a scar, a deformity, a feature of ugliness, it is distinctly before the mind; but when we turn away, that is “out of sight and out of mind.” When unseen it gives no uneasiness, and, even if capable of correction, we take no pains to remove it. So when we hear the word of God. It is like a mirror held up before us. In the perfect precepts of the law, and the perfect requirements of the gospel, we see our own short-comings and defects, and perhaps think that we will correct them. But we turn away immediately, and forget it all. If, however, we were doers of the word,” we should endeavor to remove all those defects and blemishes in our moral character, and to bring our whole souls into conformity with what the law and the gospel require. The phrase “natural face” (Greek: face of birth), means, the face or appearance which we have in virtue of our natural birth. The word glass here means mirror. Glass was not commonly used for mirrors among the ancients, but they were made of polished plates of metal. See the Isaiah 3:24 note, and Job 37:18 note.
James 1:24
For he beholdeth himself - While he looks in the mirror he sees his true appearance.
And goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth - As soon as he goes away, he forgets it. The apostle does not refer to any intention on his part, but to what is known to occur as a matter of fact.
What manner of than he was - How he looked; and especially if there was anything in his appearance that required correction.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 23. Beholding his natural face in a glass — This metaphor is very simple, but very expressive. A man wishes to see his own face, and how, in its natural state, it appears; for this purpose he looks into a mirror, by which his real face, with all its blemishes and imperfections, is exhibited. He is affected with his own appearance; he sees deformities that might be remedied; spots, superfluities, and impurities, that might be removed. While he continues to look into the mirror he is affected, and wishes himself different to what he appears, and forms purposes of doing what he can to render his countenance agreeable. On going away he soon forgets what manner of person he was, because the mirror is now removed, and his face is no longer reflected to himself; and he no longer recollects how disagreeable he appeared, and his own resolutions of improving his countenance. The doctrines of God, faithfully preached, are such a mirror; he who hears cannot help discovering his own character, and being affected with his own deformity; he sorrows, and purposes amendment; but when the preaching is over, the mirror is removed, and not being careful to examine the records of his salvation, the perfect law of liberty, James 1:25, or not continuing to look therein, he soon forgets what manner of man he was; or, reposing some unscriptural trust in God's mercy, he reasons himself out of the necessity of repentance and amendment of life, and thus deceives his soul.
