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Read the Bible

New King James Version

James 1:8

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

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Character;   Heart;   Hypocrisy;   Indecision;   Instability;   Thompson Chain Reference - Double-Mindedness;   Indecision;   Steadfastness-Instability;   The Topic Concordance - Wavering;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Decision;   Steadfastness;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Wisdom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Doubt;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Order;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Double-Minded;   Integrity;   James, the Letter;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Prayer;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Assurance;   James Epistle of;   Mind;   Perseverance;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Temptation;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Double mind;   Man;   Unstable;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Double;   Sirach, Book of;   Way;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for October 4;   Every Day Light - Devotion for December 11;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.
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
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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 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

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

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. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1:10
And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:13
So the evening and the morning were the third day.
Genesis 1:19
So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
Genesis 1:23
So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Genesis 1:31
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Genesis 5:2
He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created.

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.


 
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