James 1 · Verse 14

James 1:14

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
James 1:14, King James Version

James 1:14 in other translations

BSBBut each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.
WEBBut each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed.
ASVbut each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.
YLTand each one is tempted, by his own desires being led away and enticed,
DARBYBut every one is tempted, drawn away, and enticed by his own lust;
BBEBut every man is tested when he is turned out of the right way by the attraction of his desire.
WebsterBut every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

What does James 1:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. Every man, when tempted, is so through being drawn away of (again here, as in Jas 1:13, the Greek for "of" expresses the actual source, rather than the agent of temptation) his own lust. The cause of sin is in ourselves. Even Satan's suggestions do not endanger us before they are made our own. Each one has his own peculiar (so the Greek) lust, arising from his own temperament and habit. Lust flows from the original birth-sin in man, inherited from Adam. drawn away--the beginning step in temptation: drawn away from truth and virtue. enticed--literally, "taken with a bait," as fish are. The further progress: the man allowing himself (as the Greek middle voice implies) to be enticed to evil [Bengel]. "Lust" is here personified as the harlot that allures the man.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own It lust. That is, the fountain or source of all temptation is in man himself. is true that external inducements to sin may be placed before him, but they would have no force if there was not something in himself to which they corresponded, and over which they might have power. There must be some "lust;" some desire; some inclination; something which is unsatisfied now, which is made the foundation of the temptation, and which gives it all its power. If there were no capacity for receiving food, or desire for it, objects placed before us appealing to the appetite could never be made a source of temptation; if there were nothing in the soul which could be regarded as the love of acquisition or possession, gold would furnish no temptation; if there were no sensual propensities, we should be in that quarter above the power of temptation. In each case, and in every form, the power of the temptation is laid in some propensity of our nature, some desire of that which we do not now possess. The word rendered "lust" in this place, (επιθυηιας,) is not employed here in the narrow sense in which it is now commonly used, as denoting libidinousness. It means desire in general; an earnest wish for anything, Eph 4:22. It seems here to be used with reference to the original propensities of our nature--the desires implanted in us, which are a stimulus to employment--as the desire of knowledge, of food, of power, of sensual gratifications; and the idea is, that a man may be drawn along by these beyond the prescribed limits of indulgence, and in the pursuit of objects that are forbidden. He does not stop at the point at which the law requires him to stop, and is therefore guilty of transgression. This is the source of all sin. The original propensity may not be wrong, but may be perfectly harmless--as in the case of the desire of food, etc. Nay, it may furnish a most desirable stimulus to action; for how could the human powers be called forth, if it were not for this? The error, the fault, the sin, is not restraining the indulgence where we are commanded to do it, either in regard to the objects sought, or in regard to the degree of indulgence. And enticed. Entrapped, caught; that is, he is seized by this power, and held fast; or he is led along and beguiled, until he falls into sin, as in a snare that springs suddenly upon him.

(a) "of his own lust" Hos 13:9 (*) "lust" or, "evil desire"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 But every man is tempted - Successfully solicited to sin, when he is drawn away of his own lust - when, giving way to the evil propensity of his own heart, he does that to which he is solicited by the enemy of his soul. Among the rabbins we find some fine sayings on this subject. In Midrash hanaalam, fol. 20, and Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 17, it is said: "This is the custom of evil concupiscence, יצר הרע yetser hara: To-day it saith, Do this; to-morrow, Worship an idol. The man goes and worships. Again it saith, Be angry." "Evil concupiscence is, at the beginning, like the thread of a spider's web; afterwards it is like a cart rope." Sanhedrim, fol. 99. In the words, drawn away by his own lust and enticed, ὑπο της ιδιας επιθυμιας εξελκομενος και δελεαζομενος, there is a double metaphor; the first referring to the dragging a fish out of the water by a hook which it had swallowed, because concealed by a bait; the second, to the enticements of impure women, who draw away the unwary into their snares, and involve them in their ruin. Illicit connections of this kind the writer has clearly in view; and every word that he uses refers to something of this nature, as the following verse shows.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James 1:12-18

It is not every man who suffers, that is blessed; but he who with patience and constancy goes through all difficulties in the way of duty. Afflictions cannot make us miserable, if it be not our own fault. The tried Christian shall be a crowned one. The crown of life is promised to all who have the love of God reigning in their hearts. Every soul that truly loves God, shall have its trials in this world fully…

Read the full comment on James 1:12-18 →

James 1:14 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἕκαστοςhekastosA manG1538
δὲdehoweverG1161
πειράζεταιpeirazetaiis temptedG3985
ὑπὸhupobyG5259
τῆςtēstheG3588
ἰδίαςidiasownG2398
ἐπιθυμίαςepithumiasdesireG1939
ἐξελκόμενοςexelkomenosbeing drawn awayG1828
καὶkaiandG2532
δελεαζόμενος·deleazomenosbeing enticed;G1185

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for James 1:14

  • Mark 7:21-22

    For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

  • Ephesians 4:22

    That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

  • Matthew 15:18

    But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

  • Hebrews 3:13

    But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

  • Proverbs 4:23

    Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

  • Romans 7:13

    Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

  • James 4:1-2

    From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

  • Matthew 5:28

    But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

  • Isaiah 44:20

    He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

  • Romans 7:11

    For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

  • Genesis 6:5

    And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

  • Job 31:27

    And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
when.
4:1,2; Ge 6:5; 8:21; Jos 7:21-24; 2Sa 11:2,3; 1Ki 21:2-4; Job 31:9
Job 31:27; Pr 4:23; Isa 44:20; Ho 13:9; Mt 5:28; 15:18,20; Mr 7:21
Mr 7:22; Ro 7:11,13; Eph 4:22; Heb 3:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • James 1:13

    Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

  • James 1:14

    But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

  • James 1:15

    Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Read all of James 1

James 1:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Sino que cada uno es tentado, cuando de su propia concupiscencia es atraído, y cebado.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais chacun est tenté, étant attiré et amorcé par sa propre convoitise;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ein jeder aber wird versucht, wenn er von seiner eigenen Lust fortgezogen und gelockt wird.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Unusquisque vero tentatur a concupiscentia sua abstractus, et illectus.