James 2:11 kjv

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

James 2:11 nkjv

For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

James 2:11 niv

For he who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

James 2:11 esv

For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

James 2:11 nlt

For the same God who said, "You must not commit adultery," also said, "You must not murder." So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.

James 2 verses

James 2 11 Meaning

James 2:11 elucidates the indivisible nature of God's moral law. It explains that the same divine authority that commanded, "Do not commit adultery," also commanded, "Do not murder." Therefore, if a person manages to obey one of these commandments but violates the other, they are still considered a "transgressor of the law." This highlights that God's law is a unified, singular standard; to break one part is to break the whole, demonstrating a rebellion against the one divine Lawgiver rather than isolated infractions.

James 2 11 Context

James chapter 2 focuses on the relationship between faith and works, asserting that genuine faith must be demonstrated through righteous actions. James critiques favoritism towards the wealthy (Jas 2:1-4) by calling it a transgression of the "royal law" (Jas 2:8) to "love your neighbor as yourself." He then reinforces this by emphasizing the indivisibility of God's law. Verse 10 declares that stumbling in one point makes one guilty of the whole law. Verse 11 provides a specific, compelling illustration from the Decalogue (Ten Commandments), citing "Do not commit adultery" and "Do not murder," to demonstrate that even selective obedience does not satisfy God's holy and unified standard. The historical and cultural context includes a Jewish Christian audience, likely wrestling with aspects of the Mosaic Law, emphasizing adherence to specific commands while possibly neglecting others, or not fully understanding the holistic nature of God's demands. James confronts any such pick-and-choose approach to divine morality.

James 2 11 Word analysis

• For (γάρ - gar): A conjunction connecting this verse to the preceding one, providing the reason or explanation for why stumbling in one point makes one guilty of all.
• He who said (ὁ γὰρ εἰπών - ho gar eipōn): This refers to God, the ultimate Lawgiver. It highlights the divine origin and unified authority behind all commandments.
• Do not commit adultery (Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς - Mē moicheusēs): The negative imperative form of "to commit adultery," referencing the Seventh Commandment (Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18). This specific moral command represents a serious ethical breach, known and acknowledged by all.
• also said (εἶπεν καί - eípen kaí): Reinforces that the same divine voice spoke both commands. This stresses the single source of the Law, emphasizing its coherence and unity.
• Do not murder (Μὴ φονεύσῃς - Mē phoneusēs): The negative imperative form of "to murder," referencing the Sixth Commandment (Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17). This is another fundamental, severe moral prohibition, illustrating the weight and breadth of God's moral requirements.
• Now if (εἰ δέ - ei de): Introduces a conditional clause, setting up a hypothetical scenario to drive the point home.
• you commit no adultery but murder (οὐ μοιχεύεις φονεύεις δέ - ou moicheueis phoneueis de): This vivid example highlights that avoiding one transgression does not compensate for or excuse another. It shows the fallacy of selective obedience.
• you have become (γέγονας - gegonas): A perfect active indicative verb, indicating a state of being or a completed action with ongoing results. It means "you have come to be," signifying a definitive moral status.
• a transgressor of the law (παραβάτης νόμου - parabatēs nomou):
  • Transgressor (παραβάτης - parabatēs): Derived from para (beside, beyond, contrary to) and bainō (to go), it means one who "steps across" or "violates" a boundary or law. It implies rebellion against the authority behind the law.
  • of the law (νόμου - nomou): Refers to God's divine moral law in its entirety. It is not about a specific rule but about the whole system and the authority it represents.

James 2 11 Bonus section

The theological implication of James 2:11 is profound: it demolishes any idea of a sliding scale of sin before God, where some transgressions are less serious than others. While consequences for human beings may differ, from God's perspective, any breach of His holy law—no matter how seemingly minor—constitutes a defiance of His entire divine authority. This perfect standard of the law, which humanity consistently fails to meet (Rom 3:23), highlights the universal need for God's grace and mercy. It pushes believers away from a works-based justification and towards an understanding that their righteousness comes not from perfect performance, but from faith that truly expresses itself through genuine obedience to all of God's revealed will, fueled by the Spirit.

James 2 11 Commentary

James 2:11 stands as a powerful clarification and extension of verse 10, underscoring the indivisible nature of God's perfect law. James logically reasons that because both the commandment not to commit adultery and the commandment not to murder originate from the very same God—the one Lawgiver—a breach of any one command is ultimately an act of rebellion against the singular authority and holy character of God. This means there's no spiritual or moral distinction between types of sins in terms of their affront to God; intentionally breaking any single part of His standard is an affront to His entire divine will, making one fully accountable and "guilty of all." This challenges any form of self-righteousness derived from selective obedience, asserting that before God, sin is comprehensive, requiring total submission and transformation rather than partial adherence.

For example, a person might pride themselves on their financial honesty, yet regularly engage in slander. While they may adhere to the commandment not to steal, their malicious speech transgresses the spirit of "love your neighbor," demonstrating they are a "transgressor of the law" as a whole, because the same God who commands financial honesty also commands righteous speech.