James 1:13 (LSB)

Passage

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

Nearby Context

James 1:11 For the sun rises with a scorching heat and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.

James 1:12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

James 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully matured, it brings forth death.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "tempted", "evil", "himself", "does", and "anyone". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "tempted" and "evil", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "Blessed is a man who perseveres under..." into verse 14's "But each one is tempted when he...", so "tempted" and "evil" 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 "tempted" and "evil" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.