James 4 · Verse 7

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7, King James Version

James 4:7 in other translations

BSBSubmit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
WEBBe subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
ASVBe subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
YLTbe subject, then, to God; stand up against the devil, and he will flee from you;
DARBYSubject yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
BBEFor this cause be ruled by God; but make war on the Evil One and he will be put to flight before you.
WebsterSubmit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

What does James 4:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
7. Submit to ... God--so ye shall be among "the humble," Jas 4:6; also Jas 4:10; 1Pe 5:6. Resist ... devil--Under his banner pride and envy are enlisted in the world; resist his temptations to these. Faith, humble prayers, and heavenly wisdom, are the weapons of resistance. The language is taken from warfare. "Submit" as a good soldier puts himself in complete subjection to his captain. "Resist," stand bravely against. he will flee--Translate, "he shall flee." For it is a promise of God, not a mere assurance from man to man [Alford]. He shall flee worsted as he did from Christ.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 7. Submit yourselves therefore to God. That is, in his arrangements for obtaining his favour. Yield to what he has judged necessary for your welfare in the life that is, and your salvation in the life to come. The duty here enjoined is that of entire acquiescence in the arrangements of God, whether in his providence or grace. All these are for our good, and submission to them is required by the spirit of true humility. The object of the command here, and in the succeeding injunctions to particular duties, is to show them how they might obtain the grace which God is willing to bestow, and how they might overcome the evils against which the apostle had been endeavouring to guard them. The true method of doing this is by submitting ourselves in all things to God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. While you yield to God in all things, you are to yield to the devil in none. You are to resist and oppose him in whatever way he may approach you, whether by allurements, by flattering promises, by the fascinations of the world, by temptation, or by threats. See 1Pet 5:9. Satan makes his way, and secures his triumphs, rather by art, cunning, deception, and threatenings, than by true courage; and when opposed manfully, he flies. The true way of meeting him is by direct resistance, rather than by argument; by steadfastly refusing to yield in the slightest degree, rather than by a belief that we can either convince him that he is wrong, or can return to virtue when we have gone a certain length in complying with his demands. No one is safe who yields in the least to the suggestions of the tempter; there is no one who is not safe if he does not yield. A man, for example, is always safe from intemperance if he resists all allurements to indulgence in strong drink, told never yields in the slightest degree; no one is certainly safe if he drinks even moderately.

(a) "resist the devil" 1Pet 5:9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 Submit - to God - Continue to bow to all his decisions, and to all his dispensations. Resist the devil - He cannot conquer you if you continue to resist. Strong as he is, God never permits him to conquer the man who continues to resist him; he cannot force the human will. He who, in the terrible name of Jesus, opposes even the devil himself, is sure to have a speedy and glorious conquest. He flees from that name, and from his conquering blood.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James 4:1-10

Since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in the members. Wordly and fleshly lusts are distempers, which will not allow content or satisfaction. Sinful desires and affections stop prayer, and the working of our desires toward God. And let us beware that we do not abuse or misuse the mercies received, by the disposition of the heart when…

Read the full comment on James 4:1-10 →

James 4:7 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.

ὑποτάγητεhupotagētedo be subjectedG5293
οὖνounthereforeG3767
τῷtō<the>G3588
θεῷ.theōto God.G2316
ἀντίστητεantistētedo resistG436
τῷtōtheG3588
διαβόλῳdiabolōdevilG1228
καὶkaiandG2532
φεύξεταιpheuxetaihe will fleeG5343
ἀφ᾽aph᾽fromG575
ὑμῶν,humōnyou,G4771

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

Cross references for James 4:7

  • 1 Peter 5:8-9

    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

  • Ephesians 4:27

    Neither give place to the devil.

  • Ephesians 6:11-12

    Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

  • 1 Peter 5:6

    Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

  • Luke 4:2-13

    Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. …

  • Matthew 4:3-11

    And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. …

  • Hebrews 12:9

    Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

  • Romans 10:3

    For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

  • 2 Chronicles 30:8

    Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

  • Matthew 11:29

    Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

  • Psalms 66:3

    Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.

  • Ephesians 5:21

    Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Submit.
1Sa 3:18; 2Sa 15:26; 2Ki 1:13-15; 2Ch 30:8; 33:12,13; Job 1:21
Job 40:3-5; 42:1-6; Ps 32:3-5; 66:3; 68:30; Jer 13:18
Da 4:25,32,34-37; Mt 11:29; Ac 9:6; 16:29-31; 26:19; Ro 10:3; 14:11
Eph 5:21; Heb 12:9; 1Pe 2:13
Resist.
Mt 4:3-11; Lu 4:2-13; Eph 4:27; 6:11,12; 1Pe 5:8,9; Re 12:9-11

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

Context

  • James 4:6

    But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

  • James 4:7

    Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

  • James 4:8

    Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Read all of James 4

James 4:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Someteos pues á Dios; resistid al diablo, y de vosotros huirá.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Soumettez-vous donc à Dieu. Résistez au diable, et il s’enfuira de vous.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Unterwerfet euch nun Gott. Widerstehet dem Teufel, und er wird von euch fliehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Subditi ergo estote Deo, resistite autem diabolo, et fugiet a vobis.