James 2 · Verse 11

James 2:11

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, King James Version

James 2:11 in other translations

BSBFor He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
WEBFor he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
ASVFor he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
YLTfor He who is saying, ‘Thou mayest not commit adultery,' said also, ‘Thou mayest do no murder;' and if thou shalt not commit adultery, and shalt commit murder, thou hast become a transgressor of law;
DARBYFor he who said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not kill. Now if thou dost not commit adultery, but killest, thou art become transgressor of the law.
BBEFor he who said, Do not be untrue in married life, is the same who said, Put no man to death. Now if you are not untrue in married life, but you put a man to death, the law is broken.
WebsterFor he that said, Do not commit adultery; said also, Do not kill. Now if thou committest no adultery, yet if thou killest, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

What does James 2:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. He is One who gave the whole law; therefore, they who violate His will in one point, violate it all [Bengel]. The law and its Author alike have a complete unity. adultery ... kill--selected as being the most glaring cases of violation of duty towards one's neighbor.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 11. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. That is, these are parts of the same law of God, and one is as obligatory as the other. If, therefore, you violate either of these precepts, you transgress the law of God as such, and must be held to be guilty of violating it as a whole. The penalty of the law will be incurred, whatever precept you violate.

(+) "For he that said" or, "that law which said" (a) "Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill" Ex 20:13-14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 For he that said - That is, the authority that gave one commandment gave also the rest; and he who breaks one resists this authority; so that the breach of any one commandment may be justly considered a breach of the whole law. It was a maxim also among the Jewish doctors that, if a man kept any one commandment carefully, though he broke all the rest, he might assure himself of the favor of God; for while they taught that "He who transgresses all the precepts of the law has broken the yoke, dissolved the covenant, and exposed the law to contempt, and so has he done who has broken even one precept," (Mechilta, fol. 5, Yalcut Simeoni, part 1, fol. 59), they also taught, "that he who observed any principal command was equal to him who kept the whole law;" (Kiddushin, fol. 39); and they give for example, "If a man abandon idolatry, it is the same as if he had fulfilled the whole law," (Ibid., fol. 40.) To correct this false doctrine James lays down that in the 11th verse. Thus they did and undid.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James 2:1-13

Chapter Outline All professions of faith are vain, if not producing love and justice to others. (1-13) The necessity of good works to prove the sincerity of faith, which otherwise will be of no more advantage than the faith of devils. (14-26) Verses 1-13 Those who profess faith in Christ as the Lord of glory, must not respect persons on account of mere outward circumstances and appearances, in a manner not agreeing…

Read the full comment on James 2:1-13 →

James 2:11 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.

ὁhoThe [One]G3588
γὰρgarforG1063
εἰπὼνeipōnhaving saidG2036
μὴmēNotG3361
μοιχεύσῃς,moicheusēsyou may commit adultery,G3431
εἶπενeipensaidG2036
καὶkaialsoG2532
μὴmēNotG3361
φονεύσῃς.phoneusēsyou may murder.G5407
εἰeiIfG1487
δὲdehoweverG1161
οὐounotG3756
μοιχεύειςmoicheueisyou do commit adulteryG3431
φονεύειςphoneueisdo commit murderG5407
δέ,dehowever,G1161
γέγοναςgegonasyou have becomeG1096
παραβάτηςparabatēsa transgressorG3848
νόμου.nomouof [the] law.G3551

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

Cross references for James 2:11

  • Exodus 20:13-14

    Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

  • Matthew 5:21-28

    Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. …

  • Deuteronomy 5:17-18

    Thou shalt not kill. Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

  • Romans 13:9

    For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

  • Matthew 19:18

    He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

  • Psalms 130:3-4

    If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

  • Luke 18:20

    Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

  • Mark 10:19

    Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

  • Leviticus 4:13

    And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
he said that. or, that law, which said. Do not commit.
Ex 20:13,14; De 5:17,18; Mt 5:21-28; 19:18; Mr 10:19; Lu 18:20
Ro 13:9
Now.
Le 4:2,13,22; Ps 130:3,4

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

Context

  • James 2:10

    For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

  • James 2:11

    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 2:12

    So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

Read all of James 2

James 2:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque el que dijo: No cometerás adulterio, también ha dicho: No matarás. Ahora bien, si no hubieres cometido adulterio, pero hubieres matado, ya eres hecho transgresor de la ley.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car celui qui a dit: « Tu ne commettras pas adultère », a dit aussi: « Tu ne tueras pas ». Or si tu ne commets pas adultère, mais que tu tues, tu es devenu transgresseur de la loi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn der da sprach: "Du sollst nicht ehebrechen", sprach auch: "Du sollst nicht töten". Wenn du nun nicht ehebrichst, aber tötest, so bist du ein Gesetzesübertreter geworden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Qui enim dixit: Non mœchaberis, dixit et: Non occides. Quod si non mœchaberis, occides autem, factus es transgressor legis.