James 1:15 (KJV)

Passage

Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, 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, neither tempteth he any man:

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

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

James 1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "lust", "hath", "conceived", "bringeth", "forth", and "finished". 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 every man is tempted when he..." into verse 16's "Do not err 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.