What does James 4:7 mean?

James 4:7 (KJV) reads: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." — This verse is from James in the New Testament. Read the full in-depth commentary at thelivingsword.org/commentary/james/4/7.

What is the context of James 4:7?

James 4:7 is found in James chapter 4, verse 7. James is part of the New Testament. Read the full chapter at thelivingsword.org/read/james/4.

Commentary on James 4:7 — The Living Sword

Q: What does "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he…" mean in the Bible?

This is James 4:7 from the King James Version. Read the full in-depth commentary and application notes at The Living Sword Bible: thelivingsword.org/commentary/james/4/7.

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

This page contains an in-depth Bible commentary on James 4:7 — covering historical context, meaning, and application. The full AI-powered commentary is available in the interactive Bible reader.

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About this Passage

James 4:7 is verse 7 of chapter 4 in the Book of James, part of the New Testament. In the King James Version (1611), it reads: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

James 4:7 (King James Version): "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7 appears in the Book of James, New Testament, chapter 4, verse 7. The Book of James was written by Paul the apostle (c. AD 60–62 (Prison Epistle)). Philemon is the shortest of Paul's letters — just 25 verses — and the most personal. Onesimus, a slave belonging to Philemon (a church leader), had run away and somehow found Paul in prison. Through Paul, Onesimus became a Christian. Paul now sends him back to his master with this letter, asking Philemon to receive Onesimus 'no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother' (verse Key themes in James include: forgiveness, reconciliation, grace, slavery, Philemon. To study James 4:7 in depth — including word-by-word analysis in the original Greek, cross-references, multiple translations (KJV, WEB, Geneva, ASV, YLT, Darby), and AI-powered commentary — visit The Living Sword Bible at thelivingsword.org.

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