James 1:18 (GNV)

Passage

Of his owne will begate hee vs with the woorde of trueth, that we shoulde be as the first fruites of his creatures.

Nearby Context

James 1:16 Erre not, my deare brethren.

James 1:17 Euery good giuing, and euery perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of lights, with whome is no variablenes, neither shadow of turning.

James 1:18 Of his owne will begate hee vs with the woorde of trueth, that we shoulde be as the first fruites of his creatures.

James 1:19 Wherefore my deare brethren, let euery man be swift to heare, slowe to speake, and slowe to wrath.

James 1:20 For the wrath of man doeth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "owne", "begate", "woorde", "trueth", "shoulde", "first", "fruites", and "creatures". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "owne" and "begate", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift..." into verse 19's "Wherefore my deare brethren let euery man...", so "owne" and "begate" 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 "owne" and "begate" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.