James 1 · Verse 18

James 1:18

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
James 1:18, King James Version

James 1:18 in other translations

BSBHe chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
WEBOf his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
ASVOf his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
YLThaving counselled, He did beget us with a word of truth, for our being a certain first-fruit of His creatures.
DARBYAccording to his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a certain first-fruits of his creatures.
BBEOf his purpose he gave us being, by his true word, so that we might be, in a sense, the first-fruits of all the things which he had made.
WebsterOf his own will he hath begotten us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.

What does James 1:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. (Joh 1:13). The believer's regeneration is the highest example of nothing but good proceeding from God. Of his own will--Of his own good pleasure (which shows that it is God's essential nature to do good, not evil), not induced by any external cause. begat he us--spiritually: a once-for-all accomplished act (1Pe 1:3, 23). In contrast to "lust when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin, and sin ... death" (Jas 1:15). Life follows naturally in connection with light (Jas 1:17). word of truth--the Gospel. The objective mean, as faith is the appropriating mean of regeneration by the Holy Spirit as the efficient agent. a kind of first-fruits--Christ is, in respect to the resurrection, "the first-fruits" (1Co 15:20, 23): believers, in respect to regeneration, are, as it were, first-fruits (image from the consecration of the first-born of man, cattle, and fruits to God; familiar to the Jews addressed), that is, they are the first of God's regenerated creatures, and the pledge of the ultimate regeneration of the creation, Ro 8:19, 23, where also the Spirit, the divine agent of the believer's regeneration, is termed "the first-fruits," that is, the earnest that the regeneration now begun in the soul, shall at last extend to the body too, and to the lower parts of creation. Of all God's visible creatures, believers are the noblest part, and like the legal "first-fruits," sanctify the rest; for this reason they are much tried now.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 18. Of his own will. Gr., willing, βουληθεις. The idea is, that the fact that we are "begotten" to be his children is to be traced solely to his will. He purposed it, and it was done. The antecedent in the case on which all depended was the sovereign will of God. Jn 1:13. Eph 1:5. When it is said, however, that he has done this by his mere will, it is not to be inferred that there was no reason why it should be done, or that the exercise of his will was arbitrary, but only that his will determined the matter, and that is the cause of our conversion. It is not to be inferred that there are not in all cases good reasons why God wills as he does, though those reasons are not often stated to us, and perhaps we could not comprehend them if they were. The object of the statement here seems to be to direct the mind up to God as the source of good and not evil; and among the most eminent illustrations of his goodness is this, that by his mere will, without any external power to control him, and where there could be nothing but benevolence, he has adopted us into his family, and given us a most exalted condition, as renovated beings, among his creatures. Begat he us. The Greek word here is the same which in Jas 1:15 is rendered "bringeth forth"--" sin bringeth forth death." The word is perhaps designedly used here in contrast with that, and the object is to refer to a different kind of production, or bringing forth, under the agency of sin, and the agency of God. The meaning here is, that we owe the beginning of our spiritual life to God.

With the word of truth. By the instrumentality of truth. It was not a mere creative act, but it was by truth as the seed or germ. There is no effect produced in our minds in regeneration which the truth is not fitted to produce, and the agency of God in the case is to secure its fair and full influence on the soul.

That we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. Compare Eph 1:12. For the meaning of the word rendered first-fruits, Rom 8:23. Compare Rom 11:6; 16:5; 1Cor 15:20,23; 16:15; Rev 14:4. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It denotes, properly, that which is first taken from anything; the portion which was usually offered to God. The phrase here does not primarily denote eminence in honour or degree, but refers rather to time--the first in time; and in a secondary sense it is then used to denote the honour attached to that circumstance. The meaning here is, either

(1) that, under the gospel, those who were addressed by the apostles had the honour of being first called into his kingdom as a part of that glorious harvest which it was designed to gather in this world, and that the goodness of God was manifested in thus furnishing the first-fruits of a most glorious harvest; or

(2) the reference may be to the rank and dignity which all who are born again would have among the creatures of God in virtue of the new birth.

(a) "Of his own will" Jn 1:13 (b) "firstfruits of his creatures" Jer 2:3; Eph 1:12; Rev 14:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Of his own will begat he us - God's will here is opposed to the lust of man, Jam 1:15; his truth, the means of human salvation, to the sinful means referred to in the above verse; and the new creatures, to the sin conceived and brought forth, as above. As the will of God is essentially good, all its productions must be good also; as it is infinitely pure, all its productions must be holy. The word or doctrine of truth, what St. Paul calls the word of the truth of the Gospel, Col 1:5, is the means which God uses to convert souls. A kind of first fruits - By creatures we are here to understand the Gentiles, and by first fruits the Jews, to whom the Gospel was first sent; and those of them that believed were the first fruits of that astonishing harvest which God has since reaped over the whole Gentile world. See the notes on Rom 8:19, etc. There is a remarkable saying in Philo on this subject, De Allegoris, lib. ii. p. 101: God begat Isaac, for he is the father of the perfect nature, σπειρων εν ταις ψυχαις, sowing seed in souls, and begetting happiness.

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 1:18 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.

βουληθεὶςboulētheisHaving willed [it]G1014
ἀπεκύησενapekuēsenHe brought forthG616
ἡμᾶςhēmasusG3165
λόγῳlogōby [the] wordG3056
ἀληθείας,alētheiasof truth,G225
εἰςeisforG1519
τὸto<the>G3588
εἶναιeinaito beG1511
ἡμᾶςhēmasusG3165
ἀπαρχήνaparchēnfirstfruitsG536
τιναtinaa certainG5100
τῶνtōn<the>G3588
αὐτοῦautouof HisG846
κτισμάτων.¶ktismatōncreatures.G2938

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

Cross references for James 1:18

  • Romans 8:29-31

    For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

  • 1 Peter 1:23

    Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

  • John 3:3-5

    Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

  • John 1:13

    Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

  • 1 Peter 1:3

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

    But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • Ephesians 2:4-5

    But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

  • Revelation 14:4

    These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

  • Jeremiah 2:3

    Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord.

  • Ephesians 1:12

    That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

  • Colossians 1:20-21

    And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

  • 1 John 3:9

    Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
his own.
Joh 1:13; 3:3-5; Ro 4:17; 8:29-31; 9:15-18; Eph 2:4,5; Col 1:20,21
2Th 2:13,14; 1Pe 1:3,23
with.
21; 1Co 4:15; Eph 1:12; 1Pe 1:23; 1Jo 3:9
kind.
Le 23:10; Jer 2:3; Am 6:1; *marg:
Heb 12:23; Re 14:4

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

Context

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • James 1:18

    Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

  • James 1:19

    Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

Read all of James 1

James 1:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El, de su voluntad nos ha engendrado por la palabra de verdad, para que seamos primicias de sus criaturas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		De sa propre volonté, il nous a engendrés par la parole de la vérité, pour que nous soyons une sorte de prémices de ses créatures.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Nach seinem eigenen Willen hat er uns durch das Wort der Wahrheit gezeugt, auf daß wir eine gewisse Erstlingsfrucht seiner Geschöpfe seien.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Voluntarie enim genuit nos verbo veritatis, ut simus initium aliquod creaturæ ejus.