James 4:14 kjv
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
James 4:14 nkjv
whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
James 4:14 niv
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:14 esv
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
James 4:14 nlt
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog ? it's here a little while, then it's gone.
James 4 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Job 7:6-7 | My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle... I shall not see good again. | Brevity of life, passing quickly |
| Job 14:1-2 | Man that is born of a woman... he cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow. | Life's brevity, like a fragile flower |
| Ps 39:4-5 | Make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am... my days are as an handbreadth. | Human frailty and brevity of existence |
| Ps 90:5-6, 9-10 | Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up... It is soon cut off, and we fly away. | Life is a fleeting, quickly vanishing span |
| Ps 102:11 | My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. | Life likened to a passing shadow and withered grass |
| Ps 103:15-16 | As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth... the wind passeth over it, and it is gone. | Human transience, easily swept away |
| Isa 40:6-8 | All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field... the grass withereth, the flower fadeth. | All human existence is temporary |
| Prov 27:1 | Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. | Direct warning against presuming future plans |
| Prov 16:9 | A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. | God's ultimate sovereignty over human plans |
| Prov 19:21 | There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. | God's counsel prevails over human intentions |
| Matt 6:27, 34 | Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? ...Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. | Futility of worry; live one day at a time, God provides |
| Lk 12:16-21 | The rich fool who planned extensively for the future without regard for God... 'This night thy soul shall be required of thee.' | Folly of worldly planning without divine foresight or spiritual readiness |
| Acts 18:21 | But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast... but I will return again unto you, if God will. | Paul models acknowledging God's will for future |
| Rom 15:32 | That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. | Paul consistently qualifies his plans with "if God wills" |
| 1 Cor 4:19 | But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will... | Paul again submits future actions to God's will |
| 1 Cor 16:7 | For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. | Expressing dependency on God's permission |
| Heb 6:3 | And this will we do, if God permit. | Affirmation of planning by God's permission |
| 1 Pet 1:24 | For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. | Life's brevity and fading nature |
| Jas 1:10 | But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. | Wealth offers no escape from life's transience |
| Jas 4:13 | Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. | Immediate context: presumptuous planning |
| Jas 4:15 | For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. | Prescribed alternative: acknowledging God's will |
| 2 Cor 4:18 | While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. | Contrast between temporal life and eternal realities |
| 1 Jn 2:17 | And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. | Worldly things fade, but obedience to God leads to eternal life |
James 4 verses
James 4 14 Meaning
James 4:14 reveals the fleeting and uncertain nature of human life, challenging the presumption of believers who make detailed plans without acknowledging God's sovereignty. It describes life as a mere "vapour" or mist, appearing for a brief moment and then vanishing. This verse underscores human fragility and finite knowledge, prompting humility and dependence on the Divine will instead of relying on self-sufficiency and worldly boasting.
James 4 14 Context
James chapter 4 is a powerful critique of worldliness, covetousness, and spiritual pride among believers. James directly confronts those engaged in strife and division, attributing these conflicts to their desires and pleasures (Jas 4:1-3). He labels their friendship with the world as enmity with God (Jas 4:4). The immediate preceding verse (Jas 4:13) introduces the specific behavior addressed by James 4:14—the arrogant, self-assured planning of individuals who boast about their future endeavors in business ("To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain"). James 4:14 directly rebuts this worldly, self-reliant mentality by reminding them of their inherent human limitations and the fragility of their existence. It serves as the theological basis for the instruction given in James 4:15, which is to qualify all future plans with "If the Lord wills." This section powerfully calls believers to humility, submission to God's sovereignty, and a complete reorientation of their temporal priorities around His divine will.
James 4 14 Word analysis
- Whereas ye know not: The Greek, οὐ γὰρ ἴστε (ou gar iste), literally "for you do not know." The particle gar introduces the reason why they should not boast about tomorrow—their profound ignorance of the future. It highlights the vast chasm between human finite knowledge and God's omnipotence. This ignorance is not just a lack of information but a fundamental human inability to control future events.
- what shall be on the morrow: The Greek αὔριον (aurion) simply means "tomorrow." The phrase "what shall be on the morrow" refers to the specific events, conditions, or even existence itself on the very next day. This underscores the complete uncertainty of the nearest future. Humans presume control over minutes and hours, let alone days and years, when even the next moment is not guaranteed.
- For what is your life?: A rhetorical question posed by James to awaken their understanding. The Greek τίς ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν (tis hē zōē hymōn) literally asks, "What is your life?" It forces an honest self-assessment, leading to the shocking truth that follows. This questions challenges the very foundation of self-sufficient human ambition.
- It is even a vapour: The Greek word ἀτμίς (atmis) refers to mist, steam, or smoke. It occurs uniquely here in the New Testament to describe life's nature. This metaphor is chosen for its powerful imagery of extreme ephemerality—something visible for a brief moment before completely dissipating into thin air. It denotes insubstantiality and an utterly fleeting presence.
- that appeareth: The Greek φαινομένη (phainomenē) describes something that becomes visible or manifests. It emphasizes the momentary presence of life, how it emerges into sight only for a short duration. The very act of appearing is immediately contrasted with its inevitable disappearance.
- for a little time: The Greek πρὸς ὀλίγον (pros oligon) means "for a little while" or "for a brief period." It unequivocally states the extreme brevity of this manifestation. The combination of "vapour" and "little time" profoundly emphasizes how short and unsubstantial human life is in the grand scheme of time and eternity.
- and then vanish: The Greek ἀφανιζομένη (aphanizomenē) means "disappearing," "vanishing away," "being removed from sight," or even "perishing." It implies a complete and utter disappearance without a trace. This vivid depiction of vanishing strongly reinforces the idea that life's visible presence is transient and will eventually cease, often abruptly.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow.": This initial clause highlights the fundamental limitation of human foresight. It is an argument from ignorance. Because you lack divine omniscience, your future plans are inherently built on an unstable foundation. It challenges the assumption of human control over time.
- "For what is your life? It is even a vapour...": This powerful rhetorical question transitions into the primary metaphor for life. The interrogative challenges self-perception, immediately answered by the definitive description of life as something profoundly temporary and unsubstantial. The imagery chosen (vapour) instantly communicates fragility.
- "...that appeareth for a little time, and then vanish.": This phrase elaborates on the vapour metaphor, detailing its temporal trajectory. Life's fleeting presence is shown to be not only brief ("little time") but also ultimately terminal ("vanish"). It reinforces the idea of complete and inevitable disappearance, leaving no room for human boasts of sustained future activity apart from God's will.
James 4 14 Bonus section
- The passage calls not just for qualifying statements (e.g., "Lord willing") but for a deeply internalized attitude of absolute submission and humility regarding our plans and the future. It addresses a heart issue—pride and self-reliance—rather than merely correcting a verbal omission.
- This verse counters both naive optimism and Stoic self-determination. True Christian wisdom recognizes human limits and embraces divine providence. It's an encouragement to surrender anxieties about the future, knowing that ultimately our times are in His hand (Psa 31:15).
- The fleeting nature of life demands urgent spiritual priorities. If life is a brief vapour, how we use our time, and whom we serve, becomes paramount. It compels us to "number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psa 90:12) and to "make the best use of the time, because the days are evil" (Eph 5:16).
James 4 14 Commentary
James 4:14 serves as a sobering reminder of human mortality and the uncertainty of existence, contrasting starkly with presumptuous, self-assured plans. It is a profound statement on humility. The analogy of life as a "vapour" is exceptionally poignant, evoking imagery of something momentary, quickly visible, but equally swiftly gone. This is not meant to foster despair but rather a recognition of one's place before an omniscient and sovereign God. The implicit instruction is to live in radical dependence on God's will for every moment and every plan. It compels believers to abandon a self-sufficient worldview for one that constantly acknowledges God's absolute control over all life and circumstances. The practical implication is to embrace humility, pray, seek God's guidance, and live each present moment to His glory, understanding that "if the Lord wills" is not a mere polite addendum but a foundational principle for every intention and action. We cannot presume even the next breath, much less grand future accomplishments.