James 4:7 (GNV)

Passage

Submit your selues to God: resist the deuill, and he will flee from you.

Nearby Context

James 4:5 Doe ye thinke that the Scripture sayeth in vaine, The spirit that dwelleth in vs, lusteth after enuie?

James 4:6 But the Scripture offereth more grace, and therefore sayth, God resisteth the proude, and giueth grace to the humble.

James 4:7 Submit your selues to God: resist the deuill, and he will flee from you.

James 4:8 Drawe neere to God, and he will drawe neere to you. Clense your handes, ye sinners, and purge your hearts, ye double minded.

James 4:9 Suffer afflictions, and sorrowe ye, and weepe: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your ioy into heauinesse.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "submit", "selues", "resist", "deuill", and "flee". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "submit" and "selues", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "But the Scripture offereth more grace and..." into verse 8's "Drawe neere to God and he will...", so "submit" and "selues" 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 "submit" and "selues" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.