James 1:15 (ASV)

Passage

Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death.

Nearby Context

James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man:

James 1:14 but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

James 1:15 Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death.

James 1:16 Be not deceived, my beloved brethren.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "lust", "hath", "conceived", "beareth", "fullgrown", "bringeth", "forth", and "death". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "lust" and "hath", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 14's "but each man is tempted when he..." into verse 16's "Be not deceived my beloved brethren...", so "lust" and "hath" belong inside that flow. In James context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "lust" and "hath" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.